Global flavors

Upscale Caribbean fusion restaurant Arôme puts McKinney on island time

Arôme’s take on poutine showcases an infusion of Caribbean flavors into global comfort classics.

Photo courtesy of Arome

A new fine-dining destination with global inspiration and Caribbean roots is bringing island flavor to McKinney: Called Arôme Caribbean Fusion & Lounge, it is located in the Adriatica complex at 6815 Virginia Pkwy., Ste. 300.

The space formerly housed Dhamaka Premium Indian Kitchen & Lounge, and before that, Silk Road Thai Cuisine.

Arôme is from Sophia Adisson, a Haitian-born project manager who moved to the U.S. for school over two decades ago and has lived in Dallas since 2015. Adisson learned the craft of soulful cooking from her family in Haiti, and specifically from her mother, who owned several restaurants there.

“Growing up, food and music — everything together — has been my everyday life, surrounded by that energy,” Adisson says. “I like to gather people around and have fun.”

While her Caribbean heritage shines through the menu, Adisson explains that her goal with Arôme (which translates to "aroma") is to cater to everyone, noting that her cuisine is inspired by multiple countries. This results in a dynamic menu with a wide range of offerings, from steak and jerk chicken to chicken and waffles, hamburgers, healthy bowls, tacos, and even poutine.

Signature dishes include:

Queue de bœuf: Slow-braised oxtail in a rich, aromatic gravy with tender potatoes and glazed baby carrots.
Tassot cabrit: Tender fried goat, Caribbean-spiced and golden-crisp, served with plantains and aromatic rice.
Porc effiloché au barbecue: Slow-smoked pulled pork, topped with tangy BBQ sauce and crisp slaw on a toasted brioche bun.
Whole Red Snapper: Fresh whole red snapper rubbed with Caribbean spices, fried, and served with plantains, rice, mango salsa, vegetables, and spicy sauce.

Arome This slow-braised staple represents the soulful, meticulous craft learned by Sophia Adisson from her family in Haiti.Photo courtesy of Arôme.

Entrees range from $25 to $50, while sandwiches, tacos, healthy bowls, and salads are in the $20 to $30 range. Lunch specials feature a similar but streamlined menu with options from $10 to $18, including several vegan choices for both lunch and dinner.

On Saturday and Sunday, Arôme offers a brunch menu from 11 am-3 pm. Highlights include rhum banana French toast, egg sandwiches, fish and chips, shrimp and grits, and steak and eggs.

While the restaurant awaits their liquor license to operate the full bar, customers are welcome to bring their own alcoholic beverages.

Arome Arôme’s hamburger is presented with fine-dining finesse.Photo courtesy of Arôme.

The 3,000-square-foot space seats approximately 140 guests indoors and features a large patio with a hookah bar for an additional 100 diners. The lively setting evokes island-inspired energy, with velvet teal chairs and bright orange bar stools.

“I wanted to provide a space for the diverse community of McKinney to enjoy, no matter where you come from. You can come to my restaurant and feel at home,” Adisson says.

The restaurant is open from 11 am-8 pm Sunday, 11 am-9 pm Monday-Thursday, remaining open until 10 pm on Friday and Saturday. They feature Latin music on Thursday, a DJ with afrobeats and R&B music on Friday, and live music on Saturday.

And they are already planning events for the World Cup this summer, where they will have all games on big screens and celebrate Haiti’s return to the tournament after a 52-year absence.

New Deli

New Seegars Deli stacks up nostalgic sandwiches in The Cedars Dallas

Photo courtesy of Seegars Deli

From the griddle to the red-checkered paper, Seegars Deli is all about classic, approachable sandwiches.

A new deli has settled into The Cedars district of Dallas, bringing a simple approach to sandwiches and sticking to the classics. Called Seegars Deli, the new shop is located at 1910 S. Harwood St. and named for its cross street, Seegar Street.

It is next to Mike’s Gemini Twin Lounge, in the former El Jale Nightclub space.

Seegars Deli is the latest from hospitality entrepreneur Olivia Genthe, who opened Fount Board & Table in Uptown six years ago and launched Little Blue Bistro in Bishop Arts - a nominee for 2026 Tastemaker Awards' Best New Restaurant - last year.

The menu is purposefully simple: “It’s all the classic sandwiches that I grew up with; our goal is to do something that does not really need much explaining,” Genthe says. “It is nostalgic, unelevated, and well-executed.”

The menu features a mix of Midwestern staples and deli classics, with sandwiches ranging from $12-$17. Some varieties are also available as a 6-inch sandwich for $8-$9. Highlights include:

The Polish Boy: A tribute to Genthe’s hometown of Cleveland, featuring fried beef kielbasa, cabbage slaw, BBQ sauce, and shoestring fries piled onto a brioche roll.
Dill Turkey: House-roasted turkey, Havarti cheese, dill pickle relish, and garlic mayo on a seeded hoagie.
Not Chopped Liver: A clever vegetarian option made with mushrooms, walnuts, eggs, and peas on a brioche loaf.
Thick-Cut Bologna: A simple stack of bologna, American cheese, and garlic mayo on a brioche bun.

Sides include house-made chips, French fries, pasta salad, marinated white beans, shaved, marinated celery and pickles.

The bread is sourced from New York and baked fresh daily on-site. While the menu will evolve to include more soups and salads —beyond the current grinder chopped salad and kielbasa soup — the focus remains on an approachable offering with fresh ingredients.

For dessert, they serve a pineapple upside cake, and they will start offering ice cream cones for kids soon, they say.

They also have a limited coffee menu: espresso, latte, cappuccino, macchiato, cortado and cold brew, using beans from local roaster Viewfinder.

During the weekends, they offer a brunch menu from 10 am-2 pm, including pancakes, egg sandwiches, pastrami hash, and pork tenderloin plates.

$The simple, nostalgia-driven menu that\u2019s anchoring a changing neighborhood.$ Photo courtesy of Seegars Deli.

Seegars also serves as a commissary for both Fount Board & Table and Little Blue Bistro, which needed more kitchen-prep space, Genthe says.

The 2,200-square-foot space strikes a retro balance between a mid-century diner and a modern industrial workshop, with plenty of tables and booths around the deli case. The counter continues to the side onto a full bar with mustard-yellow, vinyl-upholstered swivel barstools that run along the wood-paneled bar for a warm, vintage pop of color against the cooler concrete floors.

The floor and walls were left as is to achieve a rustic, traditional look, “not overthought, lived in,” as described by Genthe.

Seegars Deli is open daily from 10 am-10 pm, and there is plenty of parking around for visitors.

Genthe says The Cedars district has given the deli a warm welcome. “It’s been good," she says. "We were well received from the neighborhood, everybody was waiting for us to open."

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New Deli

New Seegars Deli stacks up nostalgic sandwiches in The Cedars Dallas