Downtown News

Ye olde downtown bar offers counterpoint to glitzy Dallas stereotypes

Sandwich and beer at Ye Olde Scarlet Pumpernickel Tavern

Ye Olde Scarlet Pumpernickel Tavern

Dallas has a reputation for bigger, better, and more, which makes a place like Ye Olde Scarlet Pumpernickel Tavern a refreshing counterpoint.

The downtown pub-style sports bar took over the former City Tavern space at 1402 Main St. in 2020 — next door to its sibling, The Mitchell, which opened in 2015. (City Tavern relocated to 1514 Elm St. in 2019.)

While The Mitchell aspires to an elegant cocktail bar status, Ye Olde has its foot planted in the proletariat roots of post-war America, not unlike the profile that City Tavern established, but with some Euro feel and plenty of Texas.

That means a menu with meatloaf, pot roast, chicken schnitzel, and sloppy joes, plus 16 beers on tap, a refrigerator case full of Lone Star and Coors in cans, and a big collection of whiskeys.

“We’re in this downtown neighborhood, it’s pretty close-knit, and we want to be an American tavern, a working class kind of place,” says owner Adam Salazar.

Salazar got into the food & beverage industry tending bar at spots such as Nikita and Rio Room, and was named the city’s best barkeep in 2004 and 2005 by the Dallas Observer.

“I was lucky to work at some iconic bars in Dallas,” says Salazar, a Texas native who went to high school in Littleton, Colorado and attended SMU in the early 90s.

He eventually connected with an investment group, gravitated into property management, and now owns the buildings that are home to The Mitchell and the Pumpernickel, giving him control over factors like rent. And obviously he'll never get evicted.

The name Ye Olde Scarlet Pumpernickel Tavern is a mouthful, but is a sendup inspired by the The Scarlet Pimpernel, the English novel written in 1905 — sortof.

"It's from the book, but there was a Daffy Duck cartoon parody I grew up watching all the time," Salazar says. "And of course any American tavern worth its salt has to have 'ye olde'."

With its Olde English lettering, dark green exterior paint job, and plate glass windows, the facade can be slightly deceptive.

"We get confused for an Irish bar," Salazar says. "But then you walk in and there are Texas horns and Schlitz beer signs."

They place a premium on sports; the Texas Rangers victory in the Major League Baseball playoffs was a big draw. “We also show more hockey than most bars, and get a lot of Dallas Stars fans,” he says.

And their location is a block from hotels such the Adolphus, the Magnolia, and the Joule, drawing out-of-towners in search of a place to mix with locals over a sandwich and a can of Colt 45.

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Escargot News

New all-day French bistro in downtown Rockwall is all from scratch

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Belle View Bistro Rockwall

An all-day French bistro has made its debut in Rockwall: Called Belle Vie Bistro, it’s a new mom-and-pop in the charming historic downtown district, at 112 E. Rusk St., the former home of The Fatted Calf restaurant, where it opened its doors on November 12.

Belle Vie is from Luis and Iliana Marquez, a hard-working couple who also own Los Marquez, a popular taco--themed food-truck-turned-restaurant in Rockwall they first debuted in 2019. In May, the couple took over the former Fat Chicken space to open a brick and mortar location of Los Marquez, where they serve well-made Mexican food like tacos, burritos, and quesadillas, but also burgers & fries. They open for breakfast with breakfast tacos, and run a daily lunch special, often creative, always popular, such as birria ramen with choice of beef or lamb for $11.

But the couple had a bigger vision of creating a place where chef Luis could stretch and showcase his skills.

"Luis has a lot of culinary experience, and it’s something that he’s been putting aside,” Iliana says. “We were just waiting on the perfect time to bring this to life.”

"This is something exciting and new for us, it’s something that we always wanted to make,” Luis says.

Like Los Marquez, Belle Vie is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, serving classics like French onion soup, moules frites, escargot, and duck confit. There are also comforting and American dishes like spinach-artichoke dip, crab cakes, and fish & chips.

Lunch features Cobb salad, a French dip, and chicken & Brie panini, while an extended breakfast -- which runs from 7 am to 4 pm — includes pancakes, waffles, eggs benedict, beignets French toast, and crepes, plus pastries and breads made from scratch.

Mural on the wall at Belle Vie Bistro RockwallFacebook

The bakery counter is a delight, with eclairs, croissants, scones, fruit tarts, and cake slices in flavors like carrot cake and white chocolate raspberry. There's also a serious coffee program with espresso drinks such as lattes.

"We pride ourselves on making everything from scratch," the duo says. "Our bread—whether for sandwiches, paninis, hamburgers or anything listed on our menu is made fresh just for us by our incredibly talented pastry chef and baker. The same care goes into our pastries and desserts ensuring every bite is special and crafted with love."

The dining room is warm and cozy with dark wood chairs and plush booths and a full-wall mural depicting a street in Paris. They also have a full bar, with cocktails and beer on tap. Prices are reasonable, ranging from $9 for a Belgian waffle during breakfast to $45 for prime ribeye at dinner.

For now, they're not taking reservations — it's first come, first serve.

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