Neighborhood Bites

Preston Center pioneer Rathbun’s Blue Plate Kitchen boosts its now-hot neighborhood

With Preston Center emerging as one of the hottest dining neighborhoods in Dallas, Rathbun's Blue Plate Kitchen seems prescient. Chef Kent Rathbun opened this gourmet comfort food restaurant on Luther Lane more than four years ago — long before arrivals such as Spoon, HopDoddy and the recently relocated Mi Piaci.

Preston Center's location and its convenience to the Tollway were big pluses for the trailblazing Rathbun, who says he's excited about the area's resurgence. But he also has his eye on the east side of Preston Road — home toTaco Diner, R+D Kitchen and Hillstone — whose well-conceived landscaping, parking and retail mix create a synergy he'd like to see duplicated on the west side.

"I find it interesting that it is a different dynamic just 100 feet across the road," Kent Rathbun says. "I would love to find a way to work together to close the gap on that."

"I have heard through the grapevine that there is supposed to be some sort of awesome project being considered for here, and whoever is listening, GET IT DONE," he says, leaning into my recording device to provide extra emphasis. "I find it interesting that it is a different dynamic just 100 feet across the road. I would love to find a way to work together to close the gap on that."

Like many restaurants on the west side of Preston, Blue Plate has a stronger lunch than dinner. "People are really missing the boat," he says.

But recognizing that daytime is stronger, he's built a strong brunch, with fried green tomatoes, eggs Benedict, and chicken and waffles. And unlike other restaurants that close at 2 pm, Blue Plate hospitably stays open all afternoon, with a mid-afternoon menu that fills the gap between lunch and dinner. It's a luxury to be able to pop in at 3 pm for a salad, burger, or hummus with pita chips.

He's also worked to correct the impression that the "blue plate" in the name implies heavy food, with items such as the beet salad with crostini.

"This restaurant has evolved just like everything does," he says. "Yes, we have fried chicken and some home cooking. But the majority of the menu is a very nice, thought-out mix of food from a local and seasonal standpoint."

Despite the "blue plate" in its name, Rathbun's offers light and seasonal items such as this beet salad.

Blue Plate Salad, Rathbun's Blue Plate Kitchen

Photo courtesy of Rathbun's Blue Plate Kitchen

Despite the "blue plate" in its name, Rathbun's offers light and seasonal items such as this beet salad.

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Opening News

7 new restaurants open in Dallas in a single week

Kayla Enright

Le Bistrot Bar Sardine

Dallas is brimming with an unexpected bounty of openings this week. Who would have thought? From sweet crepes and rolled ice cream to a unique dual-restaurant in Frisco, these are the absolute newest places to check out, all in time for the holidays. (And if you want more ideas on where to take your out-of-town guests, we have that list right here.)

Here are the hottest brand new restaurants around Dallas:

Cream and Crepes
This Richardson-based creperie has opened a location in the Shops at Turtle Creek Village, at 3858 Oak Lawn Ave #405. The shop, which first opened in 2016, specializes in creative crepes, rolled ice cream, and ice cream scoops. Flavors include Biscoff cookie butter, berry cheesecake, dulce de leche, and mango banana. They do the once-trendy rolled ice cream, in 10 flavors, ranging from brownie melt to spicy mango, plus classic scoops and pints, vegan ice cream, and milkshakes.

Donatos Pizza
Ohio-based pizza chain opened in Flower Mound at 1400 Long Prairie Rd. #160 on December 17. Known for their edge-to-edge toppings that stretch to the crusts, their menu features more than a dozen varieties of pizza, including veggie, four cheese, and pepperoni with hot honey. Their signature crust is a thin-crust but they also offer thicker alternatives as well as a cauliflower crust. There are also oven-baked wings, meatball subs, Italian cold cut sandwiches, appetizers, and salads.

Elephant Indian Bar and Grill
Indian restaurant opens on December 20 in a legendary spot in the former Buzzbrews space at 4154 N. Central Expwy., which closed in 2023. It's another concept from chef Praveen Prasanan, who also owns of Shiva’s Bar and Grill. The menu includes Indian classics, Indo-Chinese fusion, and vegetarian dishes, including chicken tikka masala, butter masala, tandoori, and a variety of biryani. Prasanan says, “it seemed to be a great location, so I picked it up.”

Keke's Breakfast Cafe
Fast-growing chain that's a sibling to Denny's just made its big Texas debut on December 10 in the Lincoln Park center at 7700 W Northwest Hwy. #600, across from NorthPark Center. They're open for breakfast, brunch, and lunch with pancakes, waffles, omelets, and an assortment of stuffed French toasts, plus sandwiches, wraps, and salads for lunch. This is the first of five new cafes coming to DFW.

Le Bistrot Bar Sardine
Parisian bistro concept from Vandelay Hospitality opens on December 20 at 6805 Snider Plaza with a menu of small plates and dishes that showcase chef Elliot Azoulay's mastery of French cooking techniques: escargot, salmon tartare, and scallops with leeks and Osestra beurre blanc. Their goal: to transport diners to the cobblestone streets of Paris.

Mudbugs and Revel Grill
Frisco seafood boil restaurant Mudbugs, which closed in November, reopens on December 20 as a dual-concept with Revel Grill at 9305 Preston Rd. On the Mudbugs side, they'll have Cajun seafood eats — gumbo, po'boys, snow crab boil, shrimp etouffe, oysters, crawfish. On the Revel Grill side, they'll have burgers, quesadillas, and wings. They'll also feature live music, sports, and bar bites.

Seager & Sons
Retro-leaning restaurant just opened at the Boardwalk at Granite Park, at 5864 SH-121 #106 in Plano with a nostalgic '70s theme including decorative elements like vintage records, guitars, and lo-fi stereos. The menu features pizza and fried chicken, plus fun specials like cacio e pepe fritters. A full bar includes cocktails and their own craft beer. Seager & Sons is from 33 Restaurant Group, who also own Union Bear, The Yard, and Suburban Yacht Club.

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