Downtown Dining

Hall Arts Hotel in downtown Dallas to open restaurant with acclaimed chef

The hotel will open in the fall.

Rendering courtesy of Hall Arts

An exciting new restaurant is coming to the Dallas Arts District with a name-brand chef: Called Ellie's, it will open at Hall Arts Hotel, which is opening in the Dallas Arts District in fall 2019.

According to a release, executive chef will be Eric Dreyer, former executive chef at Fearing's at The Ritz-Carlton. The restaurant is named for Ellie Hall, the late mother of hotel owner and Hall Group Founder Craig Hall.

Dreyer says in a statement that he's "elated" to be collaborating with Hall Arts Hotel on a menu that will be Napa-inspired, as well as approachable, relatable, refined, and locally sourced.

Craig and Kathryn Hall have deep roots in Napa, where they own Hall Wines winery, known for its finely crafted wines.

This marks a return to Dallas for Dreyer, who most recently served as executive chef of Promised Land, the luxury estate in Montecito, California, belonging to Oprah Winfrey.

Dreyer was born in Houston and raised in Dallas. He worked for several high-end catering firms and restaurants in California, then enrolled at the California School of Culinary Arts in Pasadena.

His career in luxury hospitality began in 1999 at The Ritz-Carlton, Marina del Rey, where he was eventually promoted to sous chef at Jer-Ne Restaurant, with James Beard award-winning Chef Troy Thompson at the helm.

He returned to Texas in 2005 as chef de cuisine of The Grand Hyatt Dallas/Fort Worth, then joined Fearing's at The Ritz-Carlton, Dallas in 2007.

Chef Dreyer's many accolades during his 11 years at Fearing's included the 2014 CultureMap Tastemaker award for Best Rising Star Chef, and then again in 2018, when he earned a spot on CultureMap's 2018 Top Ten Best Chefs list.

Dreyer co-authored The Texas Food Bible cookbook, and is dedicated to supporting and raising awareness of farmers and artisans.

The release says that Ellie's will fuse the dedication that Craig Hall's mother had to art and authenticity into a dining experience that satisfies all the senses without pretense.

downtown

This week in gluttony

Savor foodie fest tops 7 best food and drink events in Dallas this week

SAVOR at Omni PGA Frisco Resort & Spa/Facebook

Savor arrives this week at the Omni PGA Frisco Resort

Derby parties are big this week, but even bigger is a second annual four-day food festival at a Frisco resort that will bring in big-name chefs for multiple events. (One is already sold out.) Other options: take a mini road trip for a roving taco and tequila party, stroll Texas' longest running food truck festival, or practice your cornhole skills for a chance to win $10,000 at a smash burger joint anniversary party.

Wednesday, April 29

WhistlePig & Wagyu Dinner at The Saint
This four-course dinner at The Saint will highlight a progression of Wagyu-driven dishes paired with WhistlePig whiskey expressions, including the highly sought-after Boss Hog XII: “Feather & Flame” Straight Rye Whiskey. Menu items include seared Wagyu Bistecca tonnato, tagliatelle and Wagyu tallow, smoked Wagyu ribeye, and dark chocolate and rye budino. The dinner is $195, plus tax and gratuity, and multiple seating times are available between 5-9 pm.

Thursday, April 30

Burger Schmurger First Anniversary Neighborhood Block Party
The East Dallas smash burger spot that originated from a backyard pop-up is celebrating its one-year anniversary with a high-energy block party featuring live music, giveaways, kid-friendly activities, dirty sodas by Dilly Dally Soda Co., and as the main event - a $10,000 cornhole toss. Guests can enter onsite, with one entry permitted per person. Three finalists will be selected at random to participate in the official toss at 6 pm, each receiving a single attempt to land the winning shot to win $10,000. The festivities will run from 5-8 pm.

Savor at the Omni PGA Frisco Resort
The four-day culinary celebration at the Omni PGA Frisco Resort is back for a second year, taking place Thursday through Sunday featuring four exclusive dining events – with one already sold out. Events include the five-course Masters of Taste (Thursday, April 30, 6 pm, $395) featuring TV personality Scott Conant and the Omni PGA Frisco’s chef Leen Nuun, winner of Chopped: Sweets; Fork & Fire (Friday, May 1, sold out); Savor Grand Tasting (Saturday, May 2, 7 pm, $195) featuring bites by Tiffany Derry, Beau MacMillan, Kevin Lee, Dean Fearing, and Ben Ford.; and Margaritas & Mariachis (Sunday, May 3, 10 am, $145), a Cinco de Mayo-inspired brunch with James Beard-nominated Anastacia Quiñones‑Pittman and top regional chefs.

Saturday, May 2

14th Annual Frisco StrEATS Festival
Touted as Texas' longest-running food truck festival, the event promises gourmet eats from DFW food trucks, live music, and craft beer, wine, and with family-friendly activities. Admission is free and the event will run from 11 am-8 pm in Frisco’s historic Rail District.

Derby Day at The Statler
The downtown Dallas hotel will host several opportunities to celebrate the Kentucky Derby at multiple venues. At Overeasy, guests can enjoy themed specials like peach and bourbon pancakes ($14) and the Kentucky barbecue brisket omelet ($16). Watch parties (post time is 5:57 pm) will take place at Scout and Waterproof, with cocktail specials like the Kentucky Mule and the Kentucky Smash, both made with Woodford Reserve. Menu specials will include fried green tomatoes ($12), Louisville Hot Brown flatbread ($14), and more. At the hotel’s underground speakeasy, Bourbon & Banter, enjoy race day signature cocktails like the Secretariat and Nobody’s Mule, both made with Woodfood Reserve. Don your Derby Day best for a chance to win a prize for “best dressed.”

Derby Day at Dee Lincoln Prime
The Frisco steakhouse will host a Kentucky Derby party featuring signature cocktails made with Woodford Reserve bourbon, Old Forester bourbon, and Herradura Tequila. The $150 ticket, plus tax and gratuity, includes two drink tickets plus heavy hors d’oeuvres along with a festive watch party from 4-7 pm. Dress to impress for a derby hat contest. Call 214-387-3333 for reservations.

3^rd Annual Taco & Tequila Crawl at Tanglewood Resort
Located an hour north of Dallas on Lake Texoma, Tanglewood Resort will host a roving taco and tequila tasting to celebrate Cinco de Mayo. Stops include Tanglewood Bar & Grill for carne asado tacos, shrimp ceviche, and sopapillas; Lakeside Lounge for chipotle lime tacos, guacamole, and mini churros; and the Tower Whiskey Bar for brisket and jalapeno tacos, chili-lime fruit cups, dessert shooters like tres leches, chocolate mousse, and Mexican flan, along with sprawling view of Lake Texoma. Cocktails are included with each stop. Ticket are $70 and the tasting will run from 6-9 pm.

food events