Opening News

Treasured Chinese restaurant in Dallas spawns spinoff at Star Frisco

Zhao Star's beautiful lo mein.

Photo courtesy of Zhao Star

A Chinese restaurant that's been putting out impeccable food for a decade now has a sibling in Frisco. Called Zhao Star China Bistro, it's a spinoff of Ming Place China Bistro, both owned by Grace Zhao and her family.

Ming Place has earned raves for its extensive menu which includes prototypical Chinese-American dishes as well as some authentic Chinese options, and Zhao Star is following that lead.

Everything is executed with care. On beef with broccoli, for example, the strips of flank steak are cut into bite-size ultra-tender slices, with broccoli the steamed to a vivid green. The dish also includes onions, garlic, and carrots all cooked to just the right degree of doneness: soft but with a little body remaining to let you appreciate the beauty of vegetables. It's a simple dish, perfectly executed.

Other Chinese-restaurant standards include Hunan chicken, honey sesame chicken, General Tso's chicken, mild yet pleasantly garlicky, and snow peas with chicken.

But Zhao has less common items include jalapeno chicken, consisting of chicken breast stir-fried with vegetables and jalapeno slices in just enouh quantity to add some welcome spicy heat; and Mandarin kung pao, combining chicken breast with vegetables, chiles, and peanuts.

A large selection of appetizers includes fried tofu, chicken lettuce wraps, chicken wings, and steamed dumplings, which are a Zhao specialty. Their soups, including wonton soup, chicken with corn, and hot & sour, have a following, and so do noodle dishes like Lo Mein.

There's another section on the menu with a slight fine-dining vibe, featuring dishes such as grilled salmon, honey walnut prawns, and salt & pepper chicken.

Zhao emigrated to Dallas in 1999 and opened Ming Place at 5750 Lemmon Ave. near the intersection of Inwood Road for 10 years before branching out to Frisco, where the selection of Chinese restaurants is still pretty limited.

It's not the ideal time to open a restaurant, but Zhao does lots of takeout, and the restaurant is earning high marks for its strict adherence to COVID-19 protocols including masks and frequent cleaning.

Customers also offer praise for the attentive staff, many of whom are members of Zhao's family.

"My family has helped me greatly," Grace says. "My daughter works the lunch shift, and I come back and forth from Dallas to Frisco for dinner. My sister helps me, too. My whole family is here."

openings

Closing News

Longtime Dallas restaurant Sevy's Grill to close after nearly 30 years

Photo courtesy of Sevy's Grill

undefined

A longtime Dallas restaurant is closing in 2026: Sevy's Grill, which has been open at 8201 Preston Rd. near Preston Center for nearly 30 years, will close on June 27, 2026.

According to a release from the owners, they're closing due to what appears to be an increase in rent.

"After months of negotiations, we were not able to come to a mutually beneficial agreement for our fourth 10-year lease," the post said.

The restaurant is located in Preston Sherry Plaza, which was acquired in September 2025 by Austin-based Endeavor Real Estate. Somebody gotta foot the bill.

Sevy's says they are looking at other locations.

"Our focus now is to finish these next 6+ months taking care of our guests and staff at the same caring level we built our brand on: Warm, professional service, consistently good food and a comfortable ambiance where the guest is always first," the post says. "First on our list of priorities is taking care of our guests in December and all the wonderful celebrations of family, friends and business groups. We do still have some availability for reservations, including our last New Years Eve at Preston Sherry. Come celebrate with us as the exciting anticipation of a new year for all of us."

"Our second priority will be the search for a new location to continue doing what we love," they said. "We are already reviewing possible sites and will keep everyone updated regularly."

Owned by chef Jim "Sevy" Severson and his wife Amy Severson, the restaurant has long been a neighborhood favorite with a lively bar scene, and was nominated in CultureMap's 2018 Tastemaker Awards for Best Neighborhood Restaurant. They were a frequent choice for winemaker events and are also known for the longevity of their staff.

"Eight team members have been with us all 29+ years, with an average tenure in the kitchen of 15+ years and a Management team that you all know," their post said. "Come support our staff as we celebrate the next 6+ months.Thank you again for your support through all the normal challenges of running a restaurant as well as economic downturns, market bubbles, Y2K, and of course the COVID era. As I tell my family and friends to “enjoy the ride in life”, wow, what an amazing ride it has been for us! And as always, Sevy’s Grill is here for you."