Car News

Teeny new Tina's Continental serves cold martinis in Dallas' Deep Ellum

The interior is an homage to a 1977 Lincoln Continental.

Tina's Continental

A cozy retro-inspired bar with a car theme has opened in a historic building in Deep Ellum Dallas. Called Tina's Continental, it's in the Continental Gin Building at 3309 Elm St. #115, where it's serving martinis and other classic cocktails in a snug 800-square-foot space that seats a mere 43 people.

According to a release, the bar is designed to be a walkable destination in far East Deep Ellum and for workers in the Continental Gin Building.

The menu features six martinis as well as an option for customers to build-their-own. There is also a selection of batched cocktails served straight from the freezer at 15 degrees for a velvety-smooth texture. Those include a Vesper Martini, Manhattan, Old Fashioned, and Negroni.

Other cocktail highlights include:

The Moody Bleu - bleu cheese washed vodka, dry vermouth, olive brine
The Appletini - granny smith infused vodka, apple brandy, lemon, apple cordial, housemade grenadine
Grasshopper - citrus infused vodka, cointreau, cranberry, lime
Guavatina - gin, campari, pamplemousse, guava, pineapple, lime

They also serve beer and wine.

Owners are Elias Pope & Sameer Patel, whose UNCO Management (formerly 8020 Hospitality) includes brands such as Hero by HG, Standard Service, and Leela's Pizza & Wine, and who also just opened a third location of Leela’s Pizza & Wine in Uptown at 2355 Olive St. #145.

Tina's is their homage to the Lincoln Continental Mark V, with a color palette inspired by a 1977 Lincoln Continental special Bill Blass Edition. That is some specific inspiration.

"In the late '70s, the king of the road was the Lincoln Continental Mark V," Pope says. "These luxury cars could be purchased one of two ways — ordered to your spec or designed by the great couture houses of the time such as Givenchy, Cartier, Pucci, and Bill Blass. Tina’s is an homage to these wonderful creations."

Tina's is the third concept of four to open in the Continental Gin Building, joining Fiction Coffee and Tatsu. The fourth will be a steakhouse, also from UNCO Hospitality, that's in the works.

Taste the tropics

Coco Caribbean Haus brings a taste of Haiti and Jamaica to The Colony

Photo courtesy of Coco Caribbean Haus

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A new restaurant is fusing bold and spicy flavors from Jamaica, Haiti, and the greater Caribbean islands in The Colony. Coco’s Caribbean Haus opened quietly in September at 4940 State Highway 121, Suite 135, in a strip center it shares with The Yard Milkshake Bar, Tabla Indian, Pepper Thai, and other restaurants and retailers.

The full-service Caribbean restaurant will host its grand opening party on Saturday, October 17. Proprietors say in a press release that they will bring North Texas an "experience inspired by Jamaican, Haitian, and Latin Caribbean culinary traditions."

The “Haitian-born, food-obsessed” Coco Caribbean Haus founder, Marsha Telfer, moved to Texas from New York City about six years ago, she says in an Instagram video, adding that her family is Haitian and Jamaican, so she intends to bring flavors from those parts of the world, “plus a little bit of soul food,” to North Texas diners.

Coco Caribbean is Telfer’s second North Texas restaurant venture; in 2023, she co-founded Reggae Jerk Grill in McKinney.

The culinary team at the new Coco Caribbean includes Head Chef Adrian Telfer, who intends to draw from Jamaican recipes passed down through his family, and Chef Marie Exalus, who is responsible for most of the menu's Haitian influences.

The restaurant, says the release, embodies “cultural heritage and contemporary hospitality."

Rasta pasta, jerk chicken, “rice and peas done right,” sweet plantains, plantain cups with spicy shrimp, “snapping’ cabbage,” and a mac-stuffed spicy beef patty are a few menu highlights mentioned on Instagram.

Behind a basic brick exterior, which features Coco's orange and yellow logo, the eatery's interior is spacious with mirrored walls, tufted forest green booths, deep-seated leather chairs in rich browns, and tropical touches such as leafy coconut trees and greenery on every table.

The full menu will be revealed at Saturday's grand opening.

caribbean restaurant jamaican food haitian food the colony marsha telfer adrian telfer coco caribbean haus