Opening News

Pretty Asian restaurant brings Viet-Thai fusion to Dallas' Preston Center

Malai Kitchen

There's a new Asian restaurant opening in Dallas' Preston Center: Malai Kitchen, the small chain from husband-and-wife Braden and Yasmin Wages, will open a location inside Preston Center Shopping Center at 6130 Luther Ln., in the space most recently occupied by Bartaco.

According to a release, it'll open in the fall.

Malai Kitchen does a modern take on Thai and Vietnamese cuisine, featuring creatively designed dishes inspired by traditional Southeast Asian cuisine.

The first location opened at the West Village more than 10 years ago in January 2011. A second location opened in Southlake in 2016, and a third in October 2017 at Fort Worth’s The Shops at Clearfork.

The couple draws inspiration from annual trips to Southeast Asia, says Braden.

"Yasmin and I are devoted to constantly evolving our food and drink menus to keep them fresh and relevant to food trends in Thailand and Vietnam," he says.

"Our foundation, from day one, has always been to showcase our own take on Southeast Asian cuisine," Yasmin says in a statement. "We are thrilled to welcome new Malai guests in our soon-to- open location in the Park Cities/Preston Hollow area. We already feel the welcoming nature from the neighboring businesses and think our concept fills a niche in the space of modern, full-service Asian inspired cuisine in this particular area of Dallas."

Bartaco opened at 6130 Luther Ln. in December 2018, but closed in March 2020 due to the pandemic. Prior to that, it was Kent Rathbun's Blue Plate Kitchen, which lasted five years before Rathbun turned it into a catering kitchen.

The Preston Center Malai Kitchen will offer an estimated 3000 square feet of interior dining with seating for 115 guests. In addition, the new restaurant will house a large U-shaped 22 seat bar spanning a total of 42 feet, a 28-seat patio — with air conditioning during the summer and a firepit for the winter — and a 500-bottle showcase wine room visible from the dining room.

The restaurant will be open for lunch, dinner, and weekend brunch, and nearly everything is made from scratch, from curry paste to fresh squeezed coconut milk to house-made sriracha. Malai Kitchen also offers an abundance of healthy options and most items can be made gluten-free, vegetarian/vegan, and dairy-free upon request.

openings

Deep Ellum News

Mexican 'vibe' restaurant from California to open in Deep Ellum Dallas

Mama Por Dios

A buzzy concept from California is coming to Dallas: Mama Por Dios, a Mexican restaurant chain known for its vibe, will open its first location in Texas in Deep Ellum in the Epic development at 2525 Elm St., taking over the former La Neta space, which shuttered in May.

According to a spokesperson, the restaurant will open in early to mid-January.

Mama Por Dios was founded in Southern California in 2020 by chef Misael Guerrero, who famously got his start selling Mexican sushi out of his garage.

Since those early days, he's gone on to form a restaurant empire called Emme Group, with concepts that include Los Amores de Julia, El Rincon de Los Dolidos, and Culichi Town, a lower-priced chain known for Sinaloa-style Mexican sushi & seafood, which has a local presence: It opened a location in Mesquite in 2022.

Mama Por Dios — which translates to "Mother of God" — describes itself as modern Mexican, offering a unique blend of steakhouse, sushi bar, and seafood. The menu includes favorites like tacos and enchiladas, alongside luxe dishes like lobster with spaghetti, lobster enchiladas, and a surf & turf featuring a lobster tail balanced atop a skirt steak. Prices range from $18 for birria tacos to $48 for a bacon-wrapped filet mignon with mashed potatoes and asparagus.

But they also have a showy side that includes flamboyant presentations such as the bacon-wrapped shrimp which come strung on clothespins; or the trompito al pastor, served on a personal spit, as well as servers who walk around with shots while dancing with patrons.

There's a Gold Burger for $65 featuring Prime beef on a brioche bun garnished with 24k gold leaf, and a similarly gilded tomahawk steak for $400 that brings to mind the good old days of Salt Bae. Decor is swanky with low lighting, and there'll be a serious brunch offering on weekends.

Cocktails such as the Al Agua Pato — served in a mini bathtub with a rubber ducky — are made for Instagram. They offer margarita and mezcalita flights with flavors such as mango, tamarindo, and strawberry, and intriguing sips like Carajillo, a Spanish cocktail with Licor 43, espresso, and 43 different fruit, citrus, aromatic, and herbal ingredients.

There’s also a $20 per-person minimum spend, and the menu comes with a warning that everything is cooked to order — meaning some dishes may take 30 to 40 minutes. For many diners, waiting will surely be part of the experience.

deep-ellum tex-mex openings