Chef News
Joule Dallas hotel hires notable chef to update downtown eateries
The Joule Dallas hotel in downtown Dallas has brought in a new chef to oversee its two restaurants: Chef Anthony Bombaci will now lead the kitchens at both Americano, the Italian restaurant, and at CBD Provisions, the bistro next door that's home to the notorious pig head.
Chef Anthony, please get rid of that pig head.
Dallas foodies with any knowledge of local dining history prior to 2016 — which rules out pretty much all of the crackerjack food writers in town — will recall that Bombaci was a critical darling while at the helm of Nana, the highly acclaimed restaurant at the Anatole which is now home to SER. He also earned a James Beard nomination for best chef in the Southwest, which is something sort of to be proud of.
Bombaci, who earned five stars from the Dallas Morning News while at Nana, has a long resume that includes tenures around the world including Barcelona, Spain. Most recently, he served as chef de cuisine overseeing the kitchen at Macellaio.
At Americano, he's unveiled new lunch and dinner menus with even more Italian-American classics, including pizzas such as:
- a fresh burrata pizza with heirloom tomatoes, pesto arugula and lemon
- bacon pizza with pancetta, guanciale, taleggio, mozzarella and spiced honey
- sweet chili pizza with fontina, parmesan, jalapeno, Anaheim pepper, sweet chili glaze and radish salad
The selection of house-made pastas has almost doubled:
- Bolognese tagliardi with Calabrian chili, pecorino and focaccia
- Spaghetti carbonara with pancetta, egg yolk, fiore sardo, prosciutto and cracked pepper
- Ravioli filled with lobster, shrimp, and squash topped with pearl onion and lobster pan sauce
New appetizers include a giant garlic knot; fritto misto; and fresh mozzarella with seasonal garnish and sourdough.
Those all sound good, but not enough for a bulleted list. OK, maybe the giant garlic knot deserves a bullet.
- giant garlic knot
The dining space at Americano has been updated, with new rows of banquettes in the bar, to make it easier for groups to gather. There's the reliable all-season glass-enclosed patio, and a new brunch menu coming soon.
Americano, you may recall, is the casual Italian restaurant at The Joule open daily for lunch and dinner and brunch on weekends with a seasonal menu comprised of Neapolitan-style pizzas, house-made pasta, and Italian-American classics. The bar features a tap program with Italian wines, cocktails, and beers. Before it was Americano, you may recall that it was Charlie Palmer. If you're not a Dallas food writer, that is.
