Year of the Snake

Lunar New Year leads 10 best food and drink events in Dallas this week

"Money Bag" dumplings, a Lunar New Year celebration at Malai Kitchen.

Malai Kitchen/Facebook

The Year of the Snake officially begins this week, and restaurants are ready to celebrate with Lunar New Year specials and festivities. Also make plans for a six-course vegan dinner with an intergalactic theme, an Italian wine dinner, and the return of a popular beer from one of Dallas' most beloved breweries.

Tuesday, January 28

Lunar New Year at JOA Grill
Upscale Korean barbecue restaurant will offer a four-course special to celebrate Lunar New Year. The menu includes yuzu salad, choice of rice cake soup or crispy beef pancake, a meat board of prime short rib, New York strip, chuck flap, and marinated ribeye, and chocolate cake. The dinner is $52 plus tax and gratuity, and available through February 2.

Wednesday, January 29

Lunar New Year at Malai Kitchen
All locations of Malai Kitchen will celebrate Lunar New Year with specials and giveaways. Visit for red-colored cocktails to match the New Year's theme of luck and happiness, including a spicy melon margarita and watermelon spritz. Food specials include "Money Bag" dumplings with lamb, carrot, and soybeans; and Longevity Lobster Noodles, a traditional New Year's dish. Malai will also randomly give away 50 red envelopes throughout the day with vouchers for free appetizers, desserts, and other prizes. Malai has locations in Preston Center, Uptown, Clearfork, and Southlake.

Lunar New Year at Komodo
Ring in the Year of the Snake at Komodo with lion dancers, a dragon dance performance, DJ music, and a special “Love Letters” dessert feature. The celebration will run from 5–10 pm.

Lunar New Year at Feng Shui
Upscale Asian restaurant at the McKinney & Olive building is hosting a Lunar New Year party with traditional Guzheng music, Chinese calligraphy demonstrations, and a free dessert called Thanghulu, which symbolizes health and wellbeing. Feng Shui will also hand out 100 red envelopes to customers with prizes. The party will run from 6:30–8:30 pm.

Thursday, January 30

Legacy Lineup #1: Heart O' Texas Red Ale Release at Four Corners Brewing Company
Dallas brewery is releasing throwback favorites starting the return of Heart of Texas Red Ale. There’ll be a Texas-themed market, flash tattoos, and photo booth fun. The party starts at 6 pm with rounds of Loteria (Mexican bingo) starting at 7:30 pm.

A Toast to Italy: Antinori Wine Dinner at Palato
Hall Park Hotel’s Italian kitchen and lounge will host a four-course pairing dinner featuring Antinori wines. Start with yellowtail crudo before moving to mafaldine pasta with mushrooms & black truffle, Wagyu beef cheek peposo with polenta & kale, and black forest tart cherry compote. Tickets are $98, plus tax and fee, and dinner begins at 6:30 pm.

Champagne Dinner at the Tango Room
Executive chef David Gomez and bartender Nolan Palladino have collaborated on a four-course dinner showcasing Ruinart champagnes and cocktails that includes butter-poached oysters with Ruinart Blanc de Blanc; carpaccio with black truffle with a Lo Groni; lamb saddle with spinach, fennel sausage, and polenta with Ruinart Blanc Singulier Edition 18; and cheesecake with blood orange with Ruinart Rosé. $175, reserve online. It starts at 7 pm.

Friday, January 31

Veganuary Vegetation Six-Course Vegan Tasting Menu at TLC Vegan Café
Take a six-course trip “around the universe” at this Richardson vegan restaurant dinner. Menu items include The Milky Way Tray with sweet potato chips, pistachio cheese ball, dried star fruit, and a pickle medley; and “Intergalatic” with red pepper, rice, Chik’N, and smoked carrot cream. Dinner is $100 plus tax and gratuity. Add a beer pairing for $20, a mocktail pairing for $25, or a wine pairing for $35. Seating times are 5:15 pm or 8:15 pm.

Gatherings By Sheraton: Making The Perfect Cocktail at Sheraton Stonebriar Hotel
Say goodbye to Dry January with this hands-on cocktail class in the heart of Stonebriar Commons in Frisco. Class is $35 and begins at 6:30 pm.

Monday, February 3

Littorai Wine Dinner at Pappas Bros. Steakhouse
California’s Littorai Winery will celebrate its 30th anniversary with a tour across the U.S. by winemaker Ted Lemon. He'll stop at Pappas Bros. in Dallas for a five-course pairing dinner featuring his renowned chardonnays and pinot noirs. Menu highlights include juniper-rubbed duck breast spaetzles with kohlrabi & cherry jus, red snapper en papillote, and roast tenderloin of beef with black truffles, celery root puree, & heirloom carrots. Dinner is $495 including tax and gratuity, and begins at 6:30 pm.

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Salt Bae News

Dallas location of Salt Bae's Nusr-Et Steakhouse will close for good

Salt Bae

A high-profile steakhouse from an international restaurateur is closing its location in Dallas: Nusr-Et Steakhouse, the renowned restaurant group from culinary sensation Nusret "Salt Bae" Gökçe, is closing its Dallas restaurant at 1900 Pearl St., not just temporarily as previously reported, but for good.

What Dallas loses, Mexico City wins: According to a release, the brand has identified Mexico City as its next destination for development, with plans to open later this year.

The Dallas closure is part of its strategy focusing on high-growth, high-potential markets. The company will also temporarily pause operations in Las Vegas, with plans to reopen at a new location.

Mexico City was chosen for its gastronomic culture and robust economic growth, particularly in business and tourism — presenting a unique opportunity for Nusr-Et Steakhouse to expand into the Latin American market.

"We are proud to bring Nusr-Et Steakhouse to Mexico City, a city celebrated for its rich culinary heritage and vibrant culture,” says Akın Tavuz, Board Member of Nusr-Et, in a statement. “This expansion represents our dedication to delivering exceptional dining experiences, and we are excited to become part of Mexico City's thriving food scene, where a passion for high-quality ingredients and bold flavors perfectly aligns with our mission of culinary excellence and outstanding service."

The brand is also preparing to open new locations in Ibiza, Rome, Milan, and other key markets to strengthen its global footprint.

Nusret Gökçe’s culinary journey began as a butcher apprentice in sixth grade to support his family, where he quickly earned a reputation as a skilled craftsman within the industry. In 2010, at age 25, Gökçe opened his first 8-table steakhouse in Istanbul, laying the foundation for what would become Nusr-Et’s rapid global expansion. Today, with two brands—Nusr-Et and Saltbae—the company operates more than 25 locations across 13 cities in six countries, cementing Gökçe’s status as a culinary visionary.

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