Dean Fearing Does DFW

Dean Fearing's Southwestern cuisine feeds fancy travelers at exclusive DFWAirport lounge

American Express opened a new lounge at DFW Airport's Terminal D with some serious perks, including food from Dallas chef Dean Fearing and an Exhale spa where you can get facials and manicures.

Called the Centurion Lounge, it celebrated its opening on October 15 with a ribbon-cutting that included a feast and in-person appearance by Fearing himself.

This is the second Centurion; the original opened in Las Vegas in early 2013. It has sparked interest from jaded travelers for its lineup of features that go beyond the usual airport facility:

Card- and travel-related services such as reservations at restaurants, airlines and hotels
Free spa therapies from Exhale
Texas-inspired signature cocktails created by mixologist Jim Meehan, or wine from a selection curated by wine director Anthony Giglio
Access to Wi-Fi, use of personal computers and noise-buffering workspaces
Southwestern cuisine designed by chef Dean Fearing

The food format is a buffet, with a breakfast version running from 7 am-noon, and a lunch and dinner buffet that extends until 10 pm. At breakfast, it's almond bread French toast; egg frittata; blueberry muffins and vanilla-and-orange pound cake; and tacos with spinach and onions, or with egg, sausage and jalapeño Jack cheese.

Dinner options include corn soup, chicken enchilada casserole with green chile sauce, spinach and queso enchilada, brisket tacos, and a warm apple buckle for dessert.

"When American Express asked me to bring a local food tie to the lounge, I said absolutely yes," Fearing says. "I am thrilled that world travelers can experience a little bit of my Texas flavor and local cuisine while traveling through DFW.

"From a personal standpoint, and as a traveler myself, the American Express Centurion Lounge concept also suits all of my needs. I can relax, work on the road, enjoy great food, and have access to well-known wines and spirits – all in a single lounge. I am excited and honored to be part of this innovation."

Access is free to Platinum and Business Platinum as well as Mercedes-Benz Platinum cardholders and Centurion card members. Any other American Express card member can access it for a $50 fee.

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French twist

Downtown Dallas hotel restaurant reopens following major revamp

CBD Provisions

Toast at CBD Provisions

There's new dining action in downtown Dallas at the Joule Hotel: CBD Provisions, the hotel's inhouse restaurant, has officially reopened with a new chef, menu, and interior design, following a months-long update.

The restaurant has been closed since July 2025. It originally opened in 2013 as a Texas-centric brasserie, named for downtown's Central Business District. It became most famous for its Pig's Head Carnitas, featuring one half of a pig's head on a plate, requiring diners to pull strips of meat and tuck them into tortillas — a dish that, with its sharable interactive nature, was ahead of its time.

According to a release, the restaurant returns under the direction of new culinary director Sezer Deniz, who has 20-plus years of experience working at Michelin-starred restaurants including the acclaimed Alinea in Chicago.

Deniz, who trained under Chef Jean Paul Naquin of the Institut Paul Bocuse in Lyon, France, is debuting a menu that focuses more carefully on French technique.

“CBD Provisions has long been about honoring local ingredients and our community,” Deniz says in a statement. “With this reopening, we’ve refined that vision, creating a dining experience that is both familiar and fresh."

Food
The menu will keep the pig’s head carnitas as well as pimento cheese toast, another favorite. But new dishes include:

Ancho Beef Bourguignon, a classic French dish featuring beef braised in a red wine reduction with ancho chili, pearl onions, carrots, wild mushrooms, and horseradish spaetzle.
Asado Short Rib, with three barbecue-glazed ribs, bread & butter pickled vegetables, sweet potato mousse, and pecan topping.

Daily fresh-baked breads, including buns and sourdough, will be provided by The Commissary, the nearby bakery-cafe that is a sibling concept from Headington Cos.

The beverage program will highlight small producers and regional makers with wines from Texas, California, and France; craft beers from Dallas-Fort Worth brewers; and cocktails such as the Good Word, a mezcal-based take on the Last Word cocktail.

Decor
With exposed brick, wood floors, and steel beans, the design preserves the classic brasserie soul of the space while softening its industrial roots with millwork paneling, vintage lighting, and mosaic tile floors.

Stone tabletops and antique mirrors add warmth, while layered textiles in seating and drapery create an atmosphere of comfort. New seating includes communal high-top tables, a center banquette, and railcar booth seating. A new airy bar opens up the space.

It's open daily for breakfast, brunch, lunch, and dinner from 7 am-10 pm, and until 11 pm on Friday-Saturday.

downtown hotels openings