BBQ News

New BBQ restaurant fires up ribs and TVs in Duke's spot in Addison

Barbecue is ON in Addison.

Photo courtesy of FB/Jackie Don Loe

Addison has a new barbecue restaurant run by a husband-and-wife couple who have hospitality experience — and barbecue experience, too. Called Austin's Bar-B-Que, it's at the northwest corner of Keller Springs and Addison roads, at 16101 Addison Rd., in the space that was previously Duke's Icehouse.

Old-timers might remember there was once an Austin's Bar-B-Que in Oak Cliff, but there's no relation. This restaurant is called Austin's because it's the last name of Robert and Valerie Austin, who are running the show.

Robert says they came in on the invitation of the owner, who wanted a restaurant in the space. They've been open for two weeks, and have barely had a chance to catch their breath.

Brisket and ribs are their specialty, with a crunchy, barky exterior and tender inside. But they do all the smoked meats, including brisket, pulled pork, chicken, turkey, and sausage, including regular and jalapeño.

They do meat by the pound, plus sandwiches featuring their smoked meats. Robert says they're using a smoker by Patterson Pits.

Sides are homey and mostly made in-house, including mac 'n cheese, a mustard potato salad, and a black-eyed pea salad with corn kernels mixed in.

"We're doing jalapeno pinto beans, fresh green beans with new potatoes, smoked baked beans with meat, and a good coleslaw," Robert says. "We'll also do some specials like wasabi coleslaw."

Valerie has tended bar at high-end spots including Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts and Palomino's at the Crescent Hotel.

Robert is a familiar name in the barbecue world, having worked for the Baker's Ribs chain for more than 25 years. In 2018, he got his feet wet when he opened Uptown Bar-B-Que, a stand set up at Old Warsaw restaurant, which he was running with his son.

"We left that last year, and now we're in Addison," Robert says.

They've spiffed up the space, which they're fashioning as not only a barbecue joint but also a sports bar, for the old Duke's regulars. When the weather's nice, they roll up the garage doors.

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Wine Bar News

Sultry Mexican wine bar-cocktail lounge to open in Dallas' Bishop Arts

Valle

Valle Bishop Arts

There's an exciting new bar spinoff coming to Dallas' Bishop Arts: Called Valle, it'll open at 509 North Bishop Ave. #C, in the former Bishop Cider Taproom, where it will serve as a sultry Mexican wine bar and cocktail lounge.

Valle is a sibling to Vinito, the Mexican wine and beer shop that opened at 939 W. Jefferson Blvd. in 2023, from partners Arturo Flores and Eduardo Mendoza.

With Vinito focused on retail sales, Flores & Mendoza decided to spread the love for Mexican wine by offering a place where patrons could sit down and enjoy a glass or bottle, plus beer, agaves, and craft cocktails as well.

"We've loved championing Mexican wines at Vinito and thought we could take our customers to the next experience," Flores says.

Vinito offers more than 100 labels of Mexican wine in every varietal: tempranillo, malbec, rose, sparkling, chardonnay, chenin blanc. Prices are reasonable, with many bottles in the $30 range, topping out at $120 for a Monte Xanic Gran Ricardo vintage 2021. They also have all the classic Mexican beers: Modelo, Bohemia, Corona, Dos Equis.

At Valle, they'll offer wines by the bottle plus a dozen wines by the glass, and flights that celebrate regions of Mexico. The menu also has a special category dedicated to "Agaves," with tequilas, mezcales, and sotol; and a handful of craft cocktails such as a margarita, paloma, and a carajillo de olla, a coffee cocktail with tequila, Spanish liqueur Licor 43, and cold brew.

"We know that not everybody drinks wine, and we want people to feel welcome and have options," Mendoza says.

They'll do snacks and finger foods, like chips & salsa and nuts, but the space has no kitchen and the focus will be on the bar. They'll be open daily from 4 pm to midnight, and until 2 am on weekends. They're hoping to launch their soft opening in the next week.

Mendoza has a strong hospitality background, and was previously general manager at Meso Maya, where they met; Flores worked there while pursuing a degree in Mechanical Engineering. During the pandemic, they started having conversations over wine and became inspired.

"When people think about Mexico, they think about beer, mezcal, tequila, but not wine, and we wanted to change that," Mendoza says.

The bar is named for Valle de Guadalupe in Mexico, the "Napa Valley of Mexico" and the region where the majority of wine in the country is grown. They're planning to offer a wine club, with exclusive tastings, events, and new bottles available to participants.

They've also partnered with relevant businesses such as Santitos, a syrup company based in Oak Cliff that makes syrups with Mexican-inspired flavors; and Four Corner Brewery, whose Firme Azul beer they'll serve and donate the proceeds to a Hispanic scholarship fund. They're getting coffee beans from Caffetio Co., based in Austin but born in Monterrey, Mexico.

“We are big advocates for the Hispanic community, and our partnerships reflect that," Flores says.

For the location, they were aided by Amanda Moreno-Lake, President of Redevelopment and Partner at Jim Lake Companies, and a big supporter who helped them find their spot for Vinito as well.

"I saw the vision and plans and knew I wanted to help Eduardo and Arturo," she says. "Sometimes small businesses need that chance to grow and succeed."

Flores says they've completely redone the 700-square-foot space, with bar seating for 10, four high-top tables, and a lounge area with leather chairs and coffee table.

"It's intimate," Flores says. "Where Vinito is light and warm, Valle is dark and cozy, with a deep green and gold palette — like the evil sister of Vinito."

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