Opening News
Mediterranean restaurant with patios aplenty opens in The Village Dallas
Another one of the restaurants at The Village, the residential community in the middle of Dallas, has opened: Anise is a wine bar and restaurant, located inside the property's new Drey Hotel, with mezze and plates from all around the Mediterranean.
The restaurant, which opened sometime in September, exactly when we cannot say, boasts a crack team including executive chef Aaron Skoultchi (Mirador, Rapscallion, Boulevardier), sommelier Amelia Henderson (CBD Provisions, Pink Magnolia), and pastry chef David Madrid (Wheat & Sour).
In a statement, Skoultichi says that the restaurant celebrates the whole Mediterranean coast: "from Tunisia and Morocco to Spain, France, Italy, Greece and Turkey, to Lebanon and Israel — and of course islands like Sicily and Corsica." Skoultichi, who was nominated as a Rising Star chef in CultureMap's 2020 Tastemaker Awards, surely deserves an A in geography.
The menu includes prototypical Middle Eastern standards like hummus and falafel, plus flatbreads, plus entrees such as grilled salmon, priced from $29 to $34, topping out at a 16-ounce Wagyu rib eye for $95.
Menu items include:
- artichoke barigoule spread
- whole branzino with charred pimentón chimichurri
- smoked eggplant dip
- scallop crudo
- flatbread with lamb-and-beef kafta, black figs, red onion, goat cheese and sumac
- Harissa-rubbed chicken with chicory salad and pan-drippings vinaigrette
- roasted whole cauliflower with green tahini sauce, toasted pine nuts and Aleppo pepper
- lamb shoulder tagine with couscous, Marcona almonds, and cumin
There's an entire other brunch menu with everything from egg white frittatas to pork & egg sandwich to avocado toast.
The wine list specializes in what the release calls food-friendly wines from Med-rim regions, including Skouras Anássa Moskofilero-Roditis blend from Peloponnese, Greece; "Domo Arigato, Mr. Ramato" Pinot Gris from California; João Pato "Nerd Duck"Fernão Pires-Baga blend, a natural wine from Portugal; and a 2017 Tornatore Nerello Mascalese from Sicily.
They also have wine on tap, with choice of 3-ounce, 5-ounce, or 12-ounce pours, and a selection of basic but crafty cocktails.
Named for the seedy spice, Anise seats 40 in the dining room, with a 9-seat bar that opens into the hotel lobby. But it has a serious commitment to outdoor seating with two patios: one with umbrella-shaded tables in front that seats 42, and a back terrace that seats 26 and looks onto live oak trees and The Village Country Club's pools.
They're currently open for dinner Tuesday-Sunday, and brunch Saturday-Sunday, with breakfast and lunch to be added eventually.
The Village began a vast makeover in 2017 which entailed redeveloping the residential units and updating common spaces including community parks and a new fitness center. That included the addition of the boutique Drey Hotel, and a collection of new restaurants and shops.