Perfect Pairing

Chic new dessert lounge Champagne & Cake bubbles up in Flower Mound

Champagne & Cake pairs creative desserts and sparkling wine.

Photo by Kendall Bardin

Few things go together quite as seamlessly as bubbly and dessert, and that delightful match is the ethos behind a new Flower Mound spot. Aptly named Champagne & Cake, the chic concept is now open at 3405 Long Prairie Rd.

The venue is the realization of a years-long dream for founder Melani Fisher, whose background merges baking with interior design. Fisher pursued her passion for pastries after watching a television cake competition and spent years honing her craft at local bakeries. She expanded her design toolkit later, while working at Texas Paint and Wallpaper.

“In 2021, I came up with this idea: I like wine bars, I know cake, and I’d love to bring those together. That’s how this dream was born,” Fisher says. She partnered with her friend Johanna Smith — a Houston-based attorney who worked alongside her at a bakery years ago — and brought on sommelier Matthew Gilbert as general manager.

Taking over the former Soupçon Wine Bar space, the team inherited a loyal neighborhood following. To accommodate fans of the former wine club, they expanded their beverage offerings beyond bubbles to include still wines. The current lineup features sparkling wine, cava, prosecco, crémant, moscato, and, naturally, champagne. Curated from France, Spain, Italy, and California, bottles start at $38, with by-the-glass options starting at an affordable $10.

On the sweet side, Fisher creates artfully designed, thematic cakes that lean into playful presentation.

“I designed everything from the flavors to how they are plated," she says. "My goal isn't just to serve a slice of cake, but to deliver a creative, memorable experience."

Cleverly named individual cakes measure 3.5 wide by 4 inches tall and range from $9.99 to $14.99. Think, The Wrangler, chocolate cake stamped with a Jeep tire print in peanut butter gravel; Amarillo by Morning, an amaretto soaked, cherry layered vanilla cake topped with a Texas flag; The Siren, a tropical mermaid-inspired treat with edible sand and shell toppings; or the mango margarita inspired, tequila-and-lime drenched Chupacabra with a mango and Tajín dust finish, to name a few.

If choosing one proves too difficult, Champagne & Cake offers flight trios with curated smaller portions and suggested wine pairings. Savory selections such as curated charcuterie boards starting at $25 are also popular options.

Champagne & Cake Flower Mound A plush nook inside Champagne & Cake offers space for group gatherings.Photo by Kendall Bardin

The interior decor is welcoming, dreamy, and comfortable, pairing curved slate-blue sofas and channel-tufted beige accent chairs with high-top wooden tables and cushioned barstools. The color palette, says Fisher, is intentionally feminine, a "vibe inspired by the colors of cake and wine."

“It needed to feel sophisticated yet relaxed — muted tones you find in rosé, champagne, and deep red wine. It’s a comfortable lounge space to bring friends, date night, or drop in after dinner for a nightcap and dessert.”

She hand-painted a soft cloud mural paired with bold floral wallpaper accents — a design element she selected back in 2021 when the concept first took shape. Decorative birdcages housing tiered cake models, fresh floral bud vases, draped linen curtains, and dark polished wood tabletops round out the inviting lounge feel.

Champagne & Cake is open Wednesdays and Thursdays 4-9 pm, Fridays 4-10 pm, Saturdays 11 am-10 pm, and Sundays 11 am-8 pm. The lounge is currently closed Mondays and Tuesdays.

A grand opening party set for this Saturday, September 12 from 11 am-10 pm will mark the debut. Guests receive a complimentary glass of champagne upon arrival, and the first 50 snag an exclusive swag bag. Visitors can also strike a pose at an onsite photo booth available from 12-4 pm.

Closure News

Mexican bar and restaurant on Dallas' Ross Ave closes after only 4 months

dallas.culturemap.com

A Mexican hangout from San Diego has departed Dallas: El Chingon, which served Mexican food, cocktails, and a clubby atmosphere near downtown at 3404 Ross Ave., closed on Sunday, September 6, after a mere four months.

The venue, which opened its doors on May 1, blamed the closure on the city of Dallas' code compliance department, citing repeated procedural issues that ultimately persuaded the operators that closing was the only option.

The short lifespan has to be a record, especially given the extensive investment made on the space — an abrupt ending to what was a prolonged birthing by GBOD Hospitality Group, the San Diego owners, who invested more than four years and millions of dollars to get it open.

"Our goal was simple: give Dallas the best, most Chingón experience we possibly could," their statement said. "And Dallas showed up for us…. Unfortunately, almost from the beginning, operating that vision became a constant fight with the City."

"We dealt with repeated Code Compliance visits, citations, and ongoing challenges to our Certificate of Occupancy and restaurant use," their post said. "Over time, it became increasingly clear that El Chingón simply was not what the City wanted us to be. Events, programming, dancing, the way we used our space — nearly every part of the experience became another opportunity to find fault with our identity."

El Chingon operated as a high-energy restaurant, bar, and nightlife destination known for its “Bad Ass Mexican” cuisine. The concept was founded in San Diego’s Gaslamp Quarter in 2017, where it built a following for its lively programming and street-food menu of tacos, burritos, and shareable bites.

It's part of GBOD Hospitality Group, a San Diego outfit founded by brothers Raymond and Patrick Davoudi, with third partner Joe Santos, who owns San Diego bars such as Havana and Prohibition Lounge. Dallas was the third El Chingon, following San Diego and Fort Worth, where a location opened in 2020 and has not experienced the issues that befell the Dallas outpost.

The company first acquired the Dallas location in 2022, and began what felt like a never-ending period of reconstruction and renovation of the rundown brick structure, first built in 1945, which years ago had been home to a wholesale floral shop.

"We made changes," they said. "We worked with City officials. We worked with the neighborhood. We hired consultants and attorneys. We met with elected officials. We repeatedly tried to find a reasonable path forward while continuing to operate the restaurant we spent millions of dollars building. Instead, the scrutiny intensified."

"Eventually, there comes a point where fighting City Hall becomes a bigger part of running the business than serving the people who came through our doors. So, City Hall wins this round."

They've since put the property up for sale but did hint that they might reopen, stating that "we have not given up on Dallas."

"We still believe in this city. We still believe there is a place here for what El Chingón does. And we hope that in the coming years, we will have the opportunity to invest in Dallas again and once more be part of this community," they said. 'For now, thank you, Dallas. For every taco. Every tequila. Every celebration. Every packed night. Every memory. Stay Chingón. This isn’t goodbye forever."

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