Bishop Arts News
Dallas chef to open neighborhood bistro in former Boulevardier space
Pork chop by Peja Krstic.
The Oak Cliff address that was home to favorite Dallas restaurant Boulevardier has a promising new tenant: Called Pillar, it's a new concept from chef Peja Krstic, and is expected to open at 408 N. Bishop Ave. #108 in the fall.
Krstic, who owns Mot Hai Ba, the acclaimed Vietnamese-fusion restaurant in East Dallas, says Pillar will be a quintessential neighborhood place.
"Opening another neighborhood spot is something I've been wanting to do, and I'd been looking for a location for quite some time," he says. "I was sad to hear about Boulevardier closing. It was a favorite place for me and my wife."
Boulevardier closed in March after 12 years.
Krstic has been at the helm of Mot Hai Ba, a seasonal contemporary restaurant inspired by flavors of Vietnam since 2015. It has drawn praise and a cult following for its creative twists on north Vietnamese cuisine, earning Tastemaker Awards nominations for Best Restaurant and Best Neighborhood Restaurant.
In 2020, Krstic joined the lineup at AT&T's Discovery District in downtown Dallas, opening an Asian/sushi restaurant now called Ichi Dallas. (He also opened a second location of MHB at Victory Park but it closed due to the pandemic.)
Pillar will be cosmopolitan yet casual, and attuned to the Bishop Arts neighborhood.
"Probably the best way to describe it would be a modern American bistro, with some French and Italian influences," he says. "My cooking style is 'culinary gypsy' — I like to cook everything, I don't see any boundaries. It'd be someplace that could graduate from neighborhood spot to a place where people go for pre-theater meals and celebrations."
The name "Pillar" references the idea of pillar of the community, and they've already started on a remodel which they expect will take a few months.
"The way I am, I like to grow organically and let it progress," he says. "I know there'll be somewhat of a whimsical European look — but what's most important is that when you walk in, you feel very comfortable, a place where you can have lunch or dinner three nights a week."
"It's just me and my wife Silvana, we're small operators, but we're proud to get the opportunity to do this in a neighborhood like Oak Cliff," he says.
