The raw way

Vegan-friendly Be Raw Food and Juice thrives in Preston Center with new ownerand chef

Coconut-kale enchiladas are the top seller at Be Raw Food and Juice.

Photo by Marc Lee
Owner Paula Sepulvado has given Be Raw Food and Juice a new sense of stability.

Photo by Marc Lee
"Pasta" at Be Raw is made from zucchini.

Photo by Melisa Ambers
Be Raw's chocolate cheesecake is surprisingly decadent for a vegan dessert.

Photo by Melisa Ambers
Be Raw Food and Juice is in a tranquil storefront in Preston Center.

Photo by Marc Lee
Be Raw juices and elixirs are also popular.

Photo by Melisa Ambers
Rawkos Tacos at Be Raw Food and Juice.

Photo by Melisa Ambers

With vegetarian dining earmarked as one of the dining trends of 2013, it's hard to think of a better place to do that than Be Raw Food and Juice Bar. This restaurant in Preston Center had a rocky journey in its early days as Bliss, but the ride turned smooth in July 2012, after owner Paula Sepulvado came on board.

Sepulvado was a former customer and raw-food fan who cared so much about ensuring that Dallas has a raw-food restaurant that she bought the place from former owner Dee Pisarro. (After her purchase, she changed the name to Be Raw.) Though her background was in real estate, she had management skills and was able to retain the kitchen staff.

"I wasn't a restaurateur, but we already had the people in place to make great food," she says.

OOwner Paula Sepulvado and new chef Evita Tezeno want to expand the menu options to include nightly chef's specials and intend to create a pre-packaged to-go area.

A raw diet consists of fruits, vegetables, nuts, grains and legumes, none of which are cooked. The benefit of raw is that, by not cooking them, you retain more of the nutrients. Raw chefs perform magic, using dryers and soaking ingredients to transform them into surprisingly rich dishes.

Be Raw's menu includes tacos; a burger made from sunflower seeds; "pad Thai," with noodles made from zucchini; and the No. 1 best-seller, coconut kale enchiladas. The restaurant also has decadent desserts, such as cheesecakes made with ground-up cashews. The juices and elixirs are also popular.

Experiencing a rush of New Year's resolution customers, Raw brought in new chef Evita Tezeno, who worked for Bliss in 2008, and who has also nurtured a career in Dallas as an artist.

Tezeno has been a vegan for more than 20 years. Faced with limited options around Dallas, she developed her own recipes, based on principles found in cookbooks and online. She left Bliss in 2009 and took a break from the restaurant life, but she still does a vegan cooking show called Taste of Paradise, which can be found on D2Dnetwork.tv and on Vimeo.

"But I'm glad to be back in the kitchen," Tezeno says. "I've always been a proponent of vegan and raw eating."

She and Sepulvado are satisfied with what's on the menu but want to expand the options. They plan to offer nightly chef's specials of a caliber similar to the coconut kale enchiladas, which were Tezeno's invention. Sepulvado is also going to expand the kitchen and create a pre-packaged to-go area.

"Since January 1, the restaurant has been full, and it's all we can do to keep up," Sepulvado says. "But even without the New Year's burst, our kitchen has always been too small."

unspecified

Sports bar goals

Shark Club sports bar from Dallas Stars owner suits up in Northlake

Photo courtesy of Shark Club

Shark Club burgers and beer.

A sports bar from the owner of the Dallas Stars is ready to make its debut in Northlake: Shark Club Sports Bar & Grill, the Canadian-born chain owned by Dallas Stars owner Tom Gaglardi, will open at 13850 Chadwick Pkwy. inside the new Children's Health StarCenter Multisport complex.

Opening day is Friday, August 7, according to a release.

The restaurant is the brand's second U.S. location, following a Plano outpost that opened in 2019. It was first announced in 2025 as part of the massive youth sports complex in Northlake, a Denton County community about 40 miles northwest of Dallas.

According to the release, the 5,000-square-foot restaurant is designed to serve families, athletes, coaches, and sports fans visiting the Dallas Stars-affiliated sports complex. It features 37 televisions inside, plus additional TVs on an outdoor patio overlooking the pickleball courts.

Though specific menu details have not yet been revealed, diners can expect many of the dishes served at the Plano location, they say, with shareable appetizers, burgers, sandwiches, entrées, and cocktails, plus some location-specific additions. The Plano Shark Club serves globally-inspired dishes such as shishito peppers and butter chicken, alongside classic American bar food, bowls, salads, and pot roast.

Happy hour specials will be offered twice a day, Monday through Friday, from 3-7 pm and 10 pm-close.

Wings and nachos at Shark Club.Photo courtesy of Shark Club

“Sports have always had a unique ability to bring people together, but the most meaningful moments often happen before the game starts and long after the final whistle,” Gaglardi says in the release. “Our goal was to create a place where families, teams and fans can connect, celebrate and build traditions of their own. North Texas remains an important growth market for Shark Club, and we’re excited to continue building our presence here and across the U.S.”

The restaurant is part of the Children's Health StarCenter Multisport, a 225,000-square-foot facility that includes two sheets of ice for hockey, eight basketball courts that can convert into 16 volleyball courts, pickleball courts, and community programming. The complex is the newest addition to the Dallas Stars' growing StarCenter network.

Shark Club was founded in Vancouver, British Columbia in 1993. Gaglardi also co-owns both the restaurant chain Moxies and the Craft Restaurant and Beer Market in Dallas' Preston Center.

Grand opening festivities on August 7 will begin at 4 pm with a ribbon-cutting ceremony hosted by the Metroport Chamber of Commerce, followed by dinner and happy hour.

Once it opens, Shark Club Northlake will be open daily: 11 am-11 pm Monday-Thursday, 11 am-12 am Friday, 10 am-12 am Saturday, and 10 am-11 pm Sunday.

openings dallas stars sports bar