Souvlaki News

New restaurant Nick the Greek with cute backstory makes Dallas-area debut

Nick the Greek

dallas.culturemap.com

A new Greek restaurant makes its Dallas-area debut with gyros, souvlaki, and pita sandwiches: Called Nick the Greek, it's a fast-casual chain from California and is opening its first DFW-area location in Irving, at 7707 N MacArthur Blvd #110, at an address that has been home to come-and-go spots such as Wok Box, Kibo Sushi, and Sushi YAA.

According to a release, Nick the Greek will open on August 11, with pitas, traditional plates, salads, sides, and desserts.

The story could end there, but then we wouldn't know the cute backstory of why they are called Nick the Greek. The chain was founded in 2014 in Northern California by three cousins all named Nick Tsigaris, who go by Big Nick, Little Nick, and Baby Nick, and who all grew up in the restaurant industry, although the more common spokesperson is COO Komiel Mohsenzadegan.

The chain has since expanded to Nevada, Arizona, Utah, Kansas, Missouri, and Texas, where Irving is the third location, following two in College Station.

According toNRN, the Greek food served at Nick the Greek isn’t traditional but instead has a new spin.

"Everyone knows what a gyro is," "Baby” Nick tells the magazine. "They don’t know how to say it, so we’ve done a play on that. We've kept it simple."

The menu has beef, falafel, chicken, pork, and falafel, which serve as the centerpiece in pitas, plates, salads, or bowls.

There are fries in three versions: seasoned with salt & oregano; Greek fries with feta, garlic, and green onion; or Nick's fries, a loaded fries dish with feta, garlic, spicy yogurt, and choice of protein topped with green onions.

They also have meat skewers (official term: souvlaki) and hummus.

openings

Celebrity Chef News

Knife steakhouse by chef John Tesar to close location at Dallas hotel

Photo courtesy of Knife

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A Dallas celebrity chef steakhouse is closing: Knife, the steakhouse at The Highland Dallas hotel at 5300 E. Mockingbird Ln. from John Tesar, is closing after more than a decade.

According to a release, Knife will be closing and moving to a new location "as it moves toward an exciting new evolution." Its final day is August 31.

According to a statement from Lennox Capital Partners, the private lodging investment and management firm that acquired the Highland Dallas in 2018, The Highland Dallas, Curio Collection by Hilton and Chef John Tesar and the Knife restaurant concept are concluding their partnership.

The hotel is in "interim talks" with a new hospitality group for a new concept that will replace Knife — which could also be implemented prior to the August 31 date.

"We are grateful for Chef Tesar’s partnership over the years and we wish him success in his future endeavors," their statement says.

An original plan between Tesar and Lennox Capital Partners, outlined in October 2024, called for the steakhouse to rebrand into a new expanded concept that would be called Knife Steak & Seafood, which would pull from Knife & Spoon, a sibling that Tesar opened at the Ritz-Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes in 2020. The Highland Dallas hotel is also undertaking a $13 million renovation.

In addition to Knife & Spoon in Orlando, the Ritz-Carlton there also has a location of Knife Burger.

Tesar has two other Knife restaurants: Knife Italian Steak - The Ritz-Carlton Dallas, Las Colinas, and Knife & Spoon Knife Steakhouse - The Shops at Willow Bend in Plano, in which he's partnered with restaurateur George Stergios.

The Knife Burger at Willow Bend in Plano is temporarily closed. And a Knife location in California, at the Laguna Cliffs Marriott, was dissolved in 2023.

Tesar is currently appearing on House of Knives, a cooking competition show on Food Network.

The release goes on to say that John Tesar Concepts, in collaboration with GBOD Hospitality Group (El Chingon) and 3ntourage Hospitality Group (Wade's Landing), has identified a "premier Dallas location" for a new expanded version of Knife that would feature Knife; plus a more intimate and experiential entity called Pocket Knife; and a new social concept called Switchblade, all under one roof. Where that roof will be, they cannot yet say.

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