Rooftop News
Asian fusion restaurant-bar opens on downtown Dallas' coolest rooftop
An Asian fusion restaurant has popped up in a unique downtown Dallas nook.
Called Sky Blossom, it's a small rooftop bar and restaurant parked on top of the Mid-Elm Lofts building at 1514 Elm St., where it's serving lunch, dinner, and cocktails, with one-of-a-kind views — the main view being The Eye, the Tony Tasset sculpture which is next door.
To get to Sky Blossom, you take a dedicated elevator directly to its sixth-floor perch. Sounds easy enough, but Dallas diners sometimes have trouble seeing something if it's not right under their nose.
But co-owner Salina Le, who has owned other restaurants in Dallas, hopes that the quality of her food will speak for itself.
"I know my food is tasty and good, and I think it's enough to draw customers," she says.
The restaurant, which has been softly open since mid-October, is designed both as an amenity for the residents of the building, as well a dining option for downtown locals, workers, and visitors.
The menu consists of Asian fusion food, as well as some American-influenced appetizers. There are Vietnamese, Thai, Korean, and Chinese dishes including shaken beef, orange chicken, Korean BBQ beef short ribs, pad Thai, and a teriyaki bowl.
At lunch they have egg rolls, dumplings, wings, and "tofu" French fries. There are spicy tuna tacos and "blossom" tacos – sushi style tacos served in a seaweed shell with avocado and rice. A "bulgogi burger" has thinly sliced marinated rib eye with lettuce, onion, and tomato.
There's also pho; salads including kale and Caesar; noodles; and banh mi.
At dinner, they have 14 appetizers and tapas including tofu sliders, shaken beef bao, calamari, and garlic crab claws.
Entrees include chargrilled pork chop, a chicken clay pot, beef penne pasta, and prawn garlic noodles.
Beverages have a slight Asian flair including Kirin Ichiban beer and cocktails such as the lychee martini.
The restaurant's outdoor space has one wall covered in ivy. There's an indoor dining room as well.
Mid-Elm Lofts is the creative renovation of a trio of vintage buildings downtown. The project has 29 residential units, with all but one now rented. It has three retail spaces on the ground floor, one already occupied by City Tavern, which moved there in February.
Le says that the location was so unique, she had to be a part of it.
"I wasn't thinking about opening another restaurant, but once I saw this space, I fell in love with it," she says. "A rooftop on top of a historical building, you just don't see a location like this."