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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

Chai News

Dubai tea chain Filli Cafe steams into Carrollton for Dallas debut

fillicafe.com

Snack and coffee from Filli Cafe

An international tea house chain from Dubai has made its Dallas debut: Called Filli Cafe, it just opened softly in Carrollton at 1205 W. Trinity Mills Rd. #101, in the same center as Al Markaz Restaurant and Groceries.

Dubbed "Dubai's most loved tea cafe chain," Filli Cafe is known for its signature Zafran chai tea and creative South Asian street foods including chaats and wraps.

The chain was born in Dubai in 2004 when founder Rafih Filli took over his father's small cafeteria in Dubai and rebranded it, using his high school nickname "Filli." He created Filli Cafe's intriguing menu and also established its laid-back culture, emphasizing it as a place for friends to hang out, with a motto of "global street bites, chai moments, and a whole lot of Tea n' Talk."

It has since grown to more than 74 cafes across 14 countries, and made its debut in the U.S. in 2022 with the first location opening in Sugar Land near Houston. There are now nine locations in the U.S. including Chicago, New York, Virginia, and Columbus, Ohio.

The DFW location is from the same group of friends and family that brought it to Houston, led by food & beverage veteran Sajid Iqbal, who says they plan to open at least one or two more locations in the DFW area.

Beverages
The signature Zafran Chai is a rich milk tea with saffron, sugar, and "secret" spices, while the Karak Chai is a traditional, strong spiced milk tea.

These are a departure from typical chai which contains a mix of spices like ginger, cinnamon, and cloves. Karak chai opts for fewer spices — often just cardamom or saffron — and relies on extra-strong black tea simmered with evaporated or condensed milk.

Filli also sells regularly spiced masala chai; traditional pink Kashmiri chai with cardamom and almonds; and milk with zafran — like their signature Zafran Chai, but minus the tea.

Beyond chai, there are espresso-based drinks such as cappuccino and latte; matcha lattes; hot chocolate; coffee drinks like dalgona, the trendy whipped coffee with steamed milk; iced coffees; frappuccino-style frozen drinks; iced tea and herbal teas of all kinds; lemonades in various flavors; and even mocktails like fruity mojitos.

Food and drink at Filli Cafe. www.visitdelohio.com

Food
The food is a creative, well-executed fusion of familiar dishes like breakfast and burgers with South Asian spices. For example, the Shawarma Jalapeno Melt with marinated shawarma chicken, jalapenos, and cheese.

There are also

sliders — in five varieties including beef burger, fried chicken, and Aloo Tikki Sliders featuring a crispy fried Aloo cutlet — aka potato patties — all served on Hawaiian buns
paratha rolls — a South Asian street food featuring kebabs or vegetables enclosed in a flaky, pan-fried flatbread called a paratha
samosas — fried dumplings with a variety of fillings
chaat — a street style snack with chickpeas, potatoes, yogurt, and tamarind-mint sauce, topped with crispy wafers, onions, green chillies, tomatoes, cilantro, and chaat masala
rice bowls
loaded fries
pizza, in a long oblong format, in varieties such as one topped with Indian butter chicken

The menu is entirely halal, meaning that all ingredients are processed according to Islamic guidelines. Food prices range from $8 to $20, while the beverages range from $2.50 to $8.

Iqbal notes that Filla Cafe has wide appeal, whether it's people seeking halal foods, people who crave fusion flavors, or people who love coffee.

"We have a motto on the wall, 'Uniting cultures, one cup at a time,'" he says.

coffee openings