Coronavirus News

Thanks to COVID-19 for these Dallas restaurant openings and closings

Wonder what will happen to all their cool furniture?

Courtesy photo

Coronavirus cases have supposedly leveled off, leading Texas Gov. Greg Abbott to allow bars to reopen. That won't happen in Dallas for now, since Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins said he won't reopen bars in Dallas County until Dallas County stops presenting "moderate risk" for COVID-19 transmission.

But we're still seeing a few openings and reopenings here and there, as well as some sad closures.

Here's the latest batch.

OPENINGS

Good Wings
New wings-to-go concept features wings, both boneless and bone-in, plus sides including mac & cheese, fried pickles, French fries, and red velvet cake. Their hours are 3 pm-midnight, and they can be ordered via Uber Eats, Door Dash, and Grub Hub, or you can pick up at their ghost kitchen at 520 Shepherd Dr. in Garland.

Founder is Cole Chavarria, a F&B pro who lost his job due to the pandemic and decided to give this wings thing a shot.

Their menu includes traditional wings, boneless wings, and sliders such as "Carolina Reaper," featuring fiery hot chicken tenders on a mini bun, speared with a pickle. Buffalo Ranch fries are as you might expect: topped with spicy Buffalo sauce, then drizzled with ranch.

Asian Mint
The small, impeccable Thai chain has managed to hang on with creative to-go options and a brisk takeout operation. Now they're slowly reopening the dining rooms at their four locations, one by one.

The Inwood Village location at 5450 Lovers Ln. opened at the beginning of October.
The Richardson location at 300 W. Campbell Rd. #140 opened on October 5.

The two remaining locations — at US-75 and Forest Lane and at 4246 Oak Lawn Ave. — are still "coming soon."

Cadillac Pizza Pub
Pizzeria in historic downtown McKinney at 1125 S. Kentucky St. has reopened, starting with curbside pick-up only. Calling this a COVID-19 reopening is not quite true: The McKinney Square staple suffered a fire in April. They're doing curbside pickup first, and plan to open for dine-in service in mid-October, with the possible return of live music in November.

Cadillac Pizza Pub does New York-style pizza, making dough every day and featuring wood-fired pies with all-natural sauce and locally sourced toppings.

They're part of {33} Restaurant Group, which also owns and operates The Yard in McKinney, Taverna Rossa Craft Pizza and Beer in Plano and Southlake, and Heritage Pizza and Taproom in The Colony.

CLOSURES

Beauty Bar
The longtime Dallas dance club that debuted on Henderson Avenue a decade ago has closed. The closure was announced on October 1 via a Facebook post.

"Well RIP Beauty Bar," it said. "We tried to hang around...but ya know, 2020."

Beauty Bar was among the first bars to help transform Henderson Avenue into a buzzy area when founder Brooke Humphries opened it in 2010. It had a welcoming atmosphere and became a big platform for local DJs. Humphries moved the bar to Deep Ellum in April 2019 as part of her overall departure from Henderson Avenue.

Kobe Steaks
The hibachi-style restaurant in Addison closed on October 2, announcing the news via a Facebook post on October 6. "After 40 years of operation, due to COVID-19, Kobe Steaks has made the difficult decision to close its doors," their statement said.

Kobe Steaks opened in December of 1980 on Belt Line Road in Addison.

"We will be forever grateful to our friends and loyal customers who have supported us throughout the years. It has truly been a pleasure and an honor to have served you," their post said. "We wish good health for you and your loved ones during these uncertain times."

El Fenix
The Lemmon Avenue location of this Tex-Mex chain closed on September 25. It had been at that address for 60 years. Owner Mike Karns, who bought the chain in 2008, told the Dallas Morning News that "current conditions" led to the closure. There are 14 other locations.

openings closings

Hummus News

Revered family-owned Mediterranean restaurant debuts in North Dallas

Samantha Marie Photography

Zon Zon food spread

An upscale Mediterranean restaurant is coming to North Dallas from a trusted name: Called Zon Zon, it'll open at 5455 Belt Line Rd. #130, in the Work/Shop center, and it's from hospitality group Yela Concepts, led by Yaser Khalaf (Darna, Baboush), together with his son Mak Khalef in their first collaboration.

According to a release, it'll open on December 22.

Named for Mak's sister Zaina (“Zon Zon”), the restaurant will be open for lunch and dinner with a refined take on Mediterranean dining, rooted in tradition but with modern influences.

"We tried to merge what embodies Mediterranean cuisine with dishes that people in Dallas love," Mak says. "A lot of the dishes we have on menu are Mediterranean but have American and Texan influences."

Mezze favorites include hummus topped with green shatta and extra-virgin olive oil; baba ghanoush with charred eggplant, tahini, dukka, and pomegranate; crispy cauliflower with saffron labneh; tuna neya with tahini, mixed pickles, and Aleppo pepper; and kibbeh with ground lamb, onions, pine nuts, and dill labneh.

Salads include seared tuna salad with freekeh and golden beets; Tahini Caesar with tahini–Caesar dressing and za’atar croutons; and roasted beets with burrata, oranges, and pistachios.

Entrées include roasted chicken with garlic-batata and pomegranate jus; chicken shish kebab over saffron rice with almonds and raisins; hanger steak shawarma frites — a clever twist on steak frites with hand-cut fries; ZZ’s Wagyu cheeseburger with smoked provolone and house pickles; Prime ribeye with za’atar chimichurri and heirloom carrots; and apricot lamb couscous.

The beverage program complements the menu with a Mediterranean-focused wine list and creative cocktails such as the coffee-kissed Midnight Istanbul and ZZ’s Margarita, with burnt pineapple and ras el hanout.

Designed in collaboration with Dallas-based Coeval Studios, the restaurant features a 2,130-square-foot interior with an expansive 735-square-foot patio that seats 76, for a total occupancy near 100.

The restaurant boasts an open kitchen, while decorative finishes include modern woodwork, rich textures, and Middle Eastern-inspired details — stylish yet inviting, with a setting that feels like home.

“The inspiration behind Zon Zon came from wanting to create the kind of place we’ve always wished existed — a neighborhood Mediterranean spot that feels both familiar and exciting," says Yaser in a statement. "We wanted to create a comfortable space where guests can meet up with friends or neighbors on a regular basis."

Mak went to college to study biomedical engineering, but says he couldn't resist the lure of the restaurant world in which he grew up.

"Zon Zon is a reflection of everything we love about food," Mak says. "What makes this especially meaningful is building it with my dad — bringing our family’s story and passion to the table."

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