Coming soon

Downtown Dallas gets new modern Mexican spot with 'tacokase' twist

Luna Roja translates to "red moon," as depicted in a striking mural in the dining room.

Photo courtesy of Luna Roja

A new "modern" Mexican restaurant is landing in downtown Dallas: Called Luna Roja, it will open at 1525 Elm St., near the AT&T Discovery District.

According to a release, opening day will be Thursday, April 2. Luna Roja takes the space formerly occupied by Elm St. Cask & Kitchen inside the Hilton Garden Inn. A separate restaurant entrance that does not require diners to enter through the hotel is under construction.

Translated as "red moon," Luna Roja promises to bring something fresh and new to the area: namely, a "tacokase" experience led by chef Omar Larson, they say. It's a fun taco-twist on omakase, one of the hottest dining trends in Dallas right now.

Omakase is the dining experience in which the chef prepares a multicourse tasting menu of small bites made to order. While omakase has no set number of dishes, it usually ranges from 10 to 20 courses depending on how excessive the chef/restaurant is.

"Luna Roja will introduce a tacokase experience, a chef-led tasting inspired by traditional Japanese omakase highlighting a curated progression of tacos and complementary flavors," the release says. "The experience is offered as a monthly activation, giving guests an opportunity to explore seasonal ingredients and specialty creations from the culinary team."

A variety of dishes at Luna Roja.Photo courtesy of Luna Roja

When diners at Luna Roja are not tacokase-ing, they can enjoy a menu that showcases regional Mexican flavors and fresh ingredients, with many dishes designed for sharing. The restaurant will be open for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and weekend brunch.

Lunchtime shareables include:

Shrimp and Scallop Aguachile with cucumber-radish salad, avocado purée, and spicy aguachile verde on a crispy tortilla
Street Corn Croquettes with cotija, jalapeño, fresh lime, and Tajín
Torta Luna: Bolillo roll with slow-cooked citrus pork, melted cheese, onion, cilantro, salsa verde, and avocado
Taqueria Smash Burger: Beef patties with Oaxaca cheese, poblano rajas, caramelized onions, Maggi burger sauce, lettuce, tomato, and pickle (served with fries)

Larger plates served for dinner include:

Ancho Glazed Short Ribs with sweet potato purée and charred poblano relish
Chipotle Honey Glazed Half Chicken with charred poblano mashed potatoes, roasted carrot, onion escabeche, and charred lime
Carne Asada: 44 Ranch skirt steak with bean purée, enchilada guajillo sauce, and guacamole
Crispy Skin Salmon with black bean purée, salsa verde cruda, radish, lime oil, and microgreens
Seared Scallops with sweet corn purée, salsa macha, and charred scallion relish

Weekend brunch will feature favorites such as Hawaiian Bigeye Tuna Tostadas (layered with citrus-soy, chipotle aioli, salsa macha avocado, radish and cilantro); and Huevos en Purgatorio (with poached eggs simmered in chile de árbol tomato sauce and topped with cilantro, queso fresco, pickled red onions and radish, served with corn tortillas).

A dedicated taqueria menu will feature heirloom corn masa tortillas filled with options like Al Pastor, Guajillo Shrimp, and Wild Mushrooms - with all the trimmings.

The beverage program features more than 50 selections of tequila including blancos, reposados, añejos, extra añejos, mezcal, and sotol. Signature cocktails include the Mexican Mule “La Mula” with Milagro Silver tequila, ginger beer and lime; and the Spicy Mango Margarita with El Jimador Blanco Tequila, serrano, agave, mango, lime and tajin.

The bar area, which looks out to the patio.Photo courtesy of Luna Roja

Luna Roja's interiors aim to fuse contemporary Mexican design with traditional symbolisms. "Murals by FGIII Fine Art Productions, textured stone accents, and saturated colors evoke the spirit of Mexican heritage," the release says.

There will also be a spacious bar, outdoor patio, and private dining space, they say - "creating a new gathering spot that reflects both the spirit of Mexico and the energy of downtown Dallas.

Upon opening April 2, their entire operating schedule will be:

Breakfast: 6 am-11 am Monday-Friday
Lunch: 11 am-1:30 pm Monday-Friday
Dinner: 4 pm-9 pm Sunday-Thursday / 4 pm-10 pm Friday-Saturday
Brunch: 10 am-3 pm Saturday-Sunday
Bar: Open-11 pm Sunday-Thursday / Open-12 am Friday-Saturday
Happy Hour: 4-6 pm Monday-Friday

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New brew

Cool new coffee shop with emo vibes to debut in Dallas' Deep Ellum

Photo courtesy of CoffeEmos

CoffeEmos

A new coffee shop dedicated to emo subculture is coming to Deep Ellum: Called CoffeEmos, the new shop will open in April at 3114 Swiss Ave. in the former Urban Venue space.

The shop is from Francisco Gonzalez, who describes himself as an emo fan for the past two decades. Now older, with a family and a career in finance, he still has given up the emo "look" but still has a love for the music.

Emo music, which was born in the 90s and combines hardcore punk with emotional lyrics, created an emo look with distinct fashion, including skinny jeans, black eyeliner, studded belts and black hair with long bangs, typically over the forehead and partially covering the eyes.

This subculture seems to be making a comeback driven by Gen Z nostalgia, which inspired Gonzalez to pay tribute to his passion and invite others to join.

“When you go to a coffee shop, you think you’ll find chill music. I do better, with pop-punk and emo music," Gonzalez says. "Music brings that high energy along with coffee. I had this idea of the coffee shop for people like me that want this kind of music."

Choosing Deep Ellum was a no-brainer, he says, thanks to its strong presence of artists, fashion boutiques, and live shows. While CoffeEmos will be open from 7am to 3 pm daily, Gonzalez envisions future late-night events such as meet-and-greets and special shows.

Coffee Emos CoffeEmos will host live entertainment.Photo courtesy of CoffeEmos

The shop will use beans from Richardson-based Eiland Coffee Roasters. The menu will feature classic coffee drinks with catchy emo names such as “espresso depresso,” “caPUNKcino,” “flat white and black,” “cut up cortado,” and “morbid mocha.”

The specialty drink list features names from well-known emo songs including:

“The Ghost of You” (by Chemical Romance): Banana horchata latte.
“If It Means a Lot to You” (by A Day to Remember): Salter caramel horchata latte.
"Ocean Avenue" (by YellowCard): Mango matcha lemonade.
"Hear You Me" (by Jimmy Eat World): Lavender London fog.

Specialty lattes range from $6 to $8 and come with a QR code to download the corresponding song.

They are working with local food vendors to create a grab-and-go and handhelds menu for breakfast, lunch, and dinner (when they host evening events).

The space will feature tables and chairs along a brick wall, and a stage for live entertainment. Some of the walls were intentionally left bare to allow artists to collaborate with visuals, Gonzalez says.

“I am looking for people that make this store their own,” he says.

There’s a “wall of memories” where guests can add old IDs from their emo-fringe days, plus a front outdoor space and a larger turfed back patio that will host shows when it opens later this year.

“I don’t want this music to die again," Gonzalez says. "Music has been a great help for me through my life, and I wish the same for new generations."

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