Downtown Dallas News

New steakhouse from Las Vegas team coming to Dallas' landmark Reunion Tower

There's a new restaurant coming to the little ball in the sky.

s3.amazonaws.com

Reunion Tower, the blinking ball on the skyline of downtown Dallas, finally has a new tenant: Called Crown Block, it's a steak and seafood restaurant from Las Vegas group Blau + Associates, and according to a release, it'll open in spring 2023.

This one-of-a-kind space in the sky with 360-degree views has been empty since 2020, when the prior restaurant Five Sixty By Wolfgang Puck closed at the height of the pandemic.

Blau Associates consists of husband-wife hospitality veterans Elizabeth Blau and chef Kim Canteenwalla, whose portfolio includes Las Vegas restaurants Honey Salt and Buddy V's Ristorante at the Venetian.

A judge on CNBC's Restaurant Startup, Blau has beein involved with iconic properties around the world such as the Rainbow Room at Rockefeller Center and creating the restaurant portfolios at both Bellagio and Wynn, which transformed Las Vegas' food & beverage scene.

Canteenwalla is the former executive chef for MGM Grand in Las Vegas and has led restaurants and resorts around the world including Singapore, Thailand, Dubai, Bali, Toronto, and Montreal. In addition to their Las Vegas concepts, he's conceptualized and developed multiple food & beverage outlets in Vancouver, Canada which he continues to operate today.

“Kim and I discovered our love of Dallas and instantly felt welcome with the world-famous Texas hospitality,” Blau says in the release. “We are excited to bring our longstanding philosophy drawing from the culture, landscape, and culinary traditions of the region to partner with the Hunt family on this exciting new endeavor for the city.”

In a statement from Hunt Realty Investments, Inc., which owns Reunion Tower, CEO Chris Kleinert notes that the team behind Crown Block has oodles of experience.

“When looking for the ultimate restaurant partner for Reunion Tower, these two hospitality industry veterans [Blau and Canteenwalla] stood out with more than three decades of global, guest-driven success and experience,” Chris Kleinert, CEO Hunt Realty says. “Dining at Crown Block will be unequivocally as iconic as Reunion Tower itself.”

Their goal is that Crown Block will surpass the typical steakhouse, celebrating "all things grilled, seared, and roasted." There'll also be seafood and plant-based cuisine, with ingredients from regional farms, ranches, and the Gulf of Mexico.

Highlights include:

a "Rare Steak" program with choices from Prime Beef, Texas Wagyu, and Japanese A5 Wagyu
a sushi and chilled seafood display
a dessert bar with pastry chefs in action
a substantial wine list
a carefully curated cocktail program

When they use the word curate, you know it's serious.

Crown Block will come with a separate event space on the 17th floor of the Reunion Tower with its own striking views, available for private receptions for up to 175 seated guests or 250 standing guests. For inquiries, email events@crownblockdallas.com.

Reunion Tower became an instant landmark when it opened on April 15, 1978, through efforts led by Ray Hunt. Leading the charge on the restaurant is Hunt grandson Tyler Kleinert, who expresses confidence that Blau and Canteenwalla are up to the task.

“From the start, identifying the perfect restaurant partner for Reunion Tower was essential,” Tyler Kleinert says. “We take great pride that Reunion Tower has served as Dallas’ top destination for milestone events and celebrations spanning six decades. Crown Block will continue to invite the community, residents and tourists alike, to gather and celebrate, living up to and exceeding my Grandfather’s original vision. The overall experience that Elizabeth, Kim and their Crown Block team are going to deliver will ensure Reunion Tower’s legacy and strong connection with the city continues for years to come.”

openings downtown

New 'cue

Seasoned pitmaster fires up Latin-inspired Texas BBQ for Uptown Dallas

Photo courtesy of Rodeo City Provisions

Meat platter with sides at Rodeo City Provisions.

A barbecue restaurant from Mesquite is coming to buzzy Uptown Dallas before the end of the year: Called Rodeo City Provisions, it will take over the short-lived NADC Burger spot at 2908 McKinney Ave.

The restaurant comes from Leo Morales, a seasoned chef and pitmaster. Born to a Colombian mother and a Mexican father and raised in New York, Morales draws heavily on his roots to shape the distinct flavors in his food.

Morales has worked in kitchens since he was a teenager, rising from dishwasher to director and operating partner at Barrel & Bones Craft Bar and Smokehouse, then general manager at Smoky Rose in Lakewood. He briefly owned his first barbecue spot in Fair Park, Parry Avenue Barbecue Company, which earned him a Rising Star Chef nomination at CultureMap’s 2022 Tastemaker Awards.

He later became chief operations officer for Refined Hospitality, overseeing culinary operations for the restaurants at The Statler and the Mesquite Rodeo. That experience paved the way for a return to barbecue in 2024, when Rodeo City Provisions debuted as a concession and suite vendor at the Mesquite Rodeo.

A year later, Morales expanded into a vacant space next to the arena (at 1818 Rodeo Dr.), opening a full-service restaurant under the same brand.

“We are a traditional Texas barbecue restaurant, where I put who I am into it, so I do a lot more than salt, pepper, and garlic,” Morales says. “We use spices like guajillo, chile de árbol, and achiote — real flavors that I grew up with.”

Rodeo City Provisions is going into the old NADC spot at 2908 McKinney Ave.Photo courtesy of Rodeo City Provisions

This approach shines through in a menu featuring prime brisket, ribs, pulled pork, turkey, and chicken by the pound, paired with Latin-inspired sides like creamed corn with queso fresco and Tajín, and borracho pinto beans. Beyond traditional barbecue cuts, the menu offers tortas, tacos, sandwiches, smoked brisket queso, and quesi-birria quesadillas.

Rodeo City Provisions also serves breakfast, including tacos, pork belly French toast, jalapeño cheddar sausage biscuits with gravy, and a loaded “Brekky Sandwich” stacked with chorizo, pork belly bacon, birria brisket, cheese, and a fried egg.

Prices are relatively affordable, ranging from $2 tacos and sandwiches for less than $15 to two-meat plates for $19 and three-pound meat boards that serve up to six people for $140. Weekly specials include pork belly burnt ends on Fridays and $20 racks of ribs on Sundays.

Just a year after launching the Mesquite location, Morales had an opportunity to expand to McKinney Avenue through longtime friends who own the building. The two-story space will feature counter service downstairs, with seating for about 50 guests. Upstairs, seating for roughly 80 will accommodate a hybrid service model, with full service and QR codes at tables for easy ordering. An outdoor smoke pit will sit next to the patio.

The Uptown location will serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner, along with a few exclusive menu items. Those include a turkey club stacked with smoked turkey, pulled pork, pork belly bacon, lettuce, tomato, and beef tallow mayo, plus a smoked brisket French dip on bolillo bread with Gruyère cheese and au jus.

Rodeo City Provisions in Uptown will be open 7 am-7 pm Tuesday-Sunday; closed Mondays.

barbecue pitmaster chef tastemaker awards uptown dallas