Egg-citing News
The Front Room turns out deviled eggs and other trendy bites at Hotel Lumen nearSMU
Front Room Tavern/Facebook
Photo courtesy of Front Room Tavern
Photo courtesy of Front Room Tavern
Deviled egg fans, you can now add The Front Room: A Park Cities Diner to your list of must-eats. The restaurant, which opened at Hotel Lumen across from SMU on September 3, has “classic” deviled eggs on the menu, along with traditional diner staples, regional specialties and comfort foods.
Because it’s a hotel restaurant, the Front Room does breakfast, lunch and dinner. Manning the stove is Scott Townend, former chef of the recently shuttered Ristorante Nicola – which is slated to become a second branch of the Uptown haunt Nick & Sam’s Grill, BTW.
Breakfast consists of pastries and breads, pancakes and waffles, breakfast tacos, and egg dishes such as eggs Benedict, frittatas and quiche. Among the more interesting options: an open-faced short-rib breakfast sandwich with fried egg, onions, potatoes and peppers on a baguette.
As if to offset the trendy vibe, there’s a downscale-sounding set of “HP baskets” with fried chicken, fried shrimp, fried fish and barbecue ribs, all served with coleslaw and fries.
Lunch and dinner items include pastas, sandwiches, salads and burgers, including a veggie burger made with black beans and rice. Entrees range from agave-citrus glazed chicken with green bean casserole to steak and Parmesan fries, offered with 8-ounce filet or 14-ounce rib-eye.
Trendy starters include beet salad and edamame hummus, which is somewhat new on the local scene; you can get it in containers at Trader Joe’s. Staying on the trendy theme, the restaurant bar offers espresso and coffee-based drinks, fresh pressed juices and an artisanal cocktails. But, as if to offset the trendy vibe, there’s a downscale-sounding set of “HP baskets” with fried chicken, fried shrimp, fried fish and barbecue ribs, all served with coleslaw and fries.
Unlike Social, the ill-fated restaurant predecessor whose entrance was relegated to the back of the hotel, the Front Room faces Hillcrest Avenue and boasts a midcentury design and covered courtyard patio overlooking SMU. Credit NL Group – the firm responsible for Hotel ZaZa – for the design.
As for those deviled eggs, “classic” as defined by the Front Room means five egg halves (not six? what about that other half egg?), with a filling composed of egg yolk, mustard, mayonnaise, cayenne pepper and lemon juice. The little devils are served on a frisee salad and garnished with capers.
