Tapas News

Dallas' Si Tapas restaurant to open spinoff in Fort Worth entertainment zone

Si Tapas has little lamb chops.

A Dallas tapas concept is expanding west: Si Tapas, which has been doing authentic Spanish-style tapas in Dallas for 14 years, will open a second location in Fort Worth, specifically the Crockett Row district, at 2949 Crockett St. in a former Fireside Pies.

According to a release, it'll open in the fall.

Si Tapas is from Ildefonso Jimenez, a tapas pioneer who opened the first location in Uptown Dallas in 2009. Previously, Jimenez had operated Cafe Madrid, Dallas' original tapas restaurant with his wife Donica; she took over the restaurant after the couple split.

He opened Si Tapas in a cute white cottage at 2207 Allen St. in the State Thomas neighborhood, which he infused with an Old World atmosphere, soccer memorabilia, decorative bottles of wine, and a sweet oasis of a patio.

The menu includes tapas classics such as cold cuts, cheeses, olives, garlic shrimp, patatas bravas, calamari, Spanish potato omelet, serrano ham croquettes, whipped garbanzos & spinach with toasted bread, marinated red bell peppers, and more — kind of like a charcuterie board, disassembled.

They're known for their big and highly affordable wine list, with bottles ranging from $30 to $200. It's a place to share a bottle and snack on snacks, which has really become the contemporary way to eat out for a lot of people.

Their house drinks and wine list offer a unique collection of Spanish wines selected by region, and their food reflects the rich regional diversity of classical and modern Spain.

Ildefonso will be adding menu items exclusive to Fort Worth such as Cochinillo, a Spanish dish consisting of a roasted pig; and Lechazo, a Spanish dish consisting of roasted lamb.

"We are excited and grateful for the opportunity to expand our second location of Si Tapas into Fort Worth’s growing culinary scene," Jimenez says in a statement.

This is not the first time Jimenez has expanded the Si Tapas empire: He previously opened a location in Austin in 2014, and he once had a popular spinoff on McKinney Avenue called Hola!

Kathy Permenter, co-managing partner of Younger Partners, says in a statement that they're thrilled to bring Si Tapas to Fort Worth.

“They have many Fort Worth patrons and this new location will give them a chance to enjoy a tapas in a casual elegant setting," Permenter says.

Younger Partners purchased Crockett Row in August of 2022 and is revitalizing the development, including new gathering spaces, parking technology to help locate their 1500 complimentary parking spaces, updated signage, and additional elevators that will improve accessibility throughout the property, Permenter says.

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RIP Al

Beloved Dallas restaurateur Al Biernat dies at 69 after ALS battle

Dallas restaurateur Al Biernat, RIP

Beloved Dallas restaurateur Al Biernat, founder of the acclaimed local steakhouse Al Biernat's, passed away on November 13, following a battle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also called ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease; he was 69.

Biernat was one of Dallas' all-time great hospitality figures, dating back to his days at The Palm steakhouse, for whom he worked in Los Angeles, Houston, and Dallas.

Biernat founded his namesake restaurant in 1998 on Oak Lawn Avenue, where his standard of excellence and doting charm made it a destination for special occasions, Park Cities swells, and celebrities in town.

His sense of hospitality had little competition in Dallas. He was a charming and personable host who genuinely liked people, and it didn't matter whether you were Conan O'Brien, David Crosby, or one of the other high-profile diners that visited his restaurants — or else just a regular schlub: He had a knack for making everyone feel special and remembered.

Biernat was born on August 20, 1955 and grew up in Michigan, then lived in Colorado, New York, Los Angeles, and Houston, before moving to Dallas to work at The Palm in the West End, where his dynamic presence gave the restaurant an incomparable vitality; it closed in 2017.

He opened Al Biernat's at 4217 Oak Lawn Ave. in 1998, followed by a second location in North Dallas at 5251 Spring Valley Rd. in 2017.

He began to experience ALS symptoms in May 2023, was diagnosed in December, and revealed his condition in February 2024. The revelation was met with an outpouring of sympathy and well wishes from the hospitality industry — a sign of the high regard in which he was held.

The average life expectancy for people with ALS is two to five years after diagnosis. Symptoms can begin in the muscles that control speech and swallowing, or in the hands, arms, legs, or feet. He began to have difficulty communicating in September, and spent his last days in a hospice.

On September 18, he broached the topic of dying, before ending on a note of gratitude to friends and family.

"Having Bulbar ALS I am realistic about my future," he said. "Friends and family have asked me if I’m afraid of dying, and this is what I say to them. Because of the salvation of Jesus, I will be rejoicing in my spirit to see him in all of his glory. Since we are all flesh, soul, and spirit, only my flesh is being left behind. But don’t get me wrong, I have a blessed life in this world, with a loving wife, and a beautiful family and many wonderful and caring friends. I am grateful!"

Both Al Biernat's locations will continue to remain open under the management of Biernat's nephew Brad Fuller, as they have for nearly the past two years.

Biernat is survived by Fuller, as well as his wife Jeannie and three daughters: Angelica Saylor, Kaitlin Biernat Connell, and Jess Biernat and grandchildren. According to family members, details regarding a celebration of his life will be announced soon.

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