Drinking Diaries

Take refuge from the Uptown noise at sophisticated speakeasy the Kennedy Room

Is it possible to lust after a bar? To pledge your heart, time and money to just one place? Can you be in a relationship on Facebook with a bar? No, seriously, can you? Because I’m thinking about asking the Kennedy Room to make this exclusive.

Teresa Gubbins covered the Kennedy Room when it opened earlier this month, and the premise seemed to pique our readers’ interests. Tucked away in a 350-square-foot corner of the Montaigne Club, the speakeasy pays homage to the past, from the picture of JFK and Jackie above the bar to the fireplace surrounded by vintage furniture and magazines.

Founder Pasha Heidari has maximized his space by putting together a deceptively simple bar that eschews excess in favor of controlled quality.

A bar this small could leave some climbing the walls in anxiety, but founder Pasha Heidari created a space with enough breathing room while still encouraging social interaction. It feels like you’re at a friend’s house for a party. Your group might not know the group next to you, but give it a few minutes, and a conversation is bound to start up.

While some places have gone the route of a glut of taps (not always a bad thing) or needlessly complicated concoctions that require a history class to consume, Heidari has maximized his space by putting together a deceptively simple bar that eschews excess in favor of controlled quality. Plus it is not uncommon to see Heidari himself taking orders from guests.

Heidari had a vision and executed it. The speakeasy could have been overly kitschy or gimmicky, with the Kennedy angle and all the ’60s memorabilia. Instead it’s just laid back in a way that seems effortless, not unlike JFK himself.

The Kennedy Room has the potential to thrive as a quiet Uptown refuge away from the packed throngs around the corner on McKinney Avenue. It’s a throwback to an era of cool suits and cigarettes, when people had style. Or at least that’s what I’ve learned from Mad Men.

It may have opened in early January, but if it can maintain its style and execution down the road, the Kennedy Room will be a strong contender for best new bar of 2013.

The Kennedy Room bartop is covered in pennies.

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Hummus News

Revered family-owned Mediterranean restaurant debuts in North Dallas

Samantha Marie Photography

Zon Zon food spread

An upscale Mediterranean restaurant is coming to North Dallas from a trusted name: Called Zon Zon, it'll open at 5455 Belt Line Rd. #130, in the Work/Shop center, and it's from hospitality group Yela Concepts, led by Yaser Khalaf (Darna, Baboush), together with his son Mak Khalef in their first collaboration.

According to a release, it'll open on December 22.

Named for Mak's sister Zaina (“Zon Zon”), the restaurant will be open for lunch and dinner with a refined take on Mediterranean dining, rooted in tradition but with modern influences.

"We tried to merge what embodies Mediterranean cuisine with dishes that people in Dallas love," Mak says. "A lot of the dishes we have on menu are Mediterranean but have American and Texan influences."

Mezze favorites include hummus topped with green shatta and extra-virgin olive oil; baba ghanoush with charred eggplant, tahini, dukka, and pomegranate; crispy cauliflower with saffron labneh; tuna neya with tahini, mixed pickles, and Aleppo pepper; and kibbeh with ground lamb, onions, pine nuts, and dill labneh.

Salads include seared tuna salad with freekeh and golden beets; Tahini Caesar with tahini–Caesar dressing and za’atar croutons; and roasted beets with burrata, oranges, and pistachios.

Entrées include roasted chicken with garlic-batata and pomegranate jus; chicken shish kebab over saffron rice with almonds and raisins; hanger steak shawarma frites — a clever twist on steak frites with hand-cut fries; ZZ’s Wagyu cheeseburger with smoked provolone and house pickles; Prime ribeye with za’atar chimichurri and heirloom carrots; and apricot lamb couscous.

The beverage program complements the menu with a Mediterranean-focused wine list and creative cocktails such as the coffee-kissed Midnight Istanbul and ZZ’s Margarita, with burnt pineapple and ras el hanout.

Designed in collaboration with Dallas-based Coeval Studios, the restaurant features a 2,130-square-foot interior with an expansive 735-square-foot patio that seats 76, for a total occupancy near 100.

The restaurant boasts an open kitchen, while decorative finishes include modern woodwork, rich textures, and Middle Eastern-inspired details — stylish yet inviting, with a setting that feels like home.

“The inspiration behind Zon Zon came from wanting to create the kind of place we’ve always wished existed — a neighborhood Mediterranean spot that feels both familiar and exciting," says Yaser in a statement. "We wanted to create a comfortable space where guests can meet up with friends or neighbors on a regular basis."

Mak went to college to study biomedical engineering, but says he couldn't resist the lure of the restaurant world in which he grew up.

"Zon Zon is a reflection of everything we love about food," Mak says. "What makes this especially meaningful is building it with my dad — bringing our family’s story and passion to the table."

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