Hey there,
It’s been a busy few weeks over here at the Observer. We’re coming down from the high of the World Cup; downtown has noticeably less energy this week. For a minute there it looked like a real downtown. (How kind of us not to turn up the heat while they were here, though, right?)
I’m interested in watching the effects of the games’ departure, namely, I’m curious if restaurants were holding on through the World Cup. Will there be a spate of closures? I’ve already got a list of closings, including Sketches of Spain, Beto and Sons in the Trinity Groves (said their lease was up), Ari’s in downtown (residential closures hurt them) and KANVAS in Deep Ellum (attributed to violence in the neighborhood).
But let’s not focus on just the negative. There were some clear winners, including Terry Black’s Barbecue and Happiest Hour. More on those next month when we get the receipts.
A couple of weeks ago I got an email about a Hyderabad-inspired restaurant, Deccan Spice, in Roanoke. Honestly, I’d never been to the city just north of Fort Worth (I also checked out a large Goodwill in the area). The drive and gas were worth it: the heat is intense, the sauces are velvety thick and flavor is spooned out in abundance. Portions are gratuitous as well. We ate for days.
Right now we’re putting a bow atop our updated list of Top 50 Bars list, which this year highlights places where being broke doesn’t matter (dive bars). I scratched one bar off last year's list because every cocktail on the menu is $20 — that’s (almost) half a tank of gas. Be serious.
We’ve also got a first look at Lower Greenville's new living room from writer Desiree Gutierrez: Walkers’ Bar & Market. And remember the old El Fenix on Lemmon Avenue? It’s now Texano Cocina, a chic Tex-Mex spot with a fun bar. Plus, pizza man, Jay Jerrier, is putting a tiny NYC-inspired bar at The Star in Frisco.
Keep checking back for more dinner and drink tidbits. That’s all we do over here.
Eat well,
Lauren
