Spirits Is Closing, So & So's Is Coming and Chefs All Over The Place Are Going.
Welcome to The Spread, our weekly feature that aims to share all the area restaurant, food and beverage industry news that's fit to print. Except, this is the Internet, so space isn't a concern. Also: Good thing, because this is Dallas and this town always has breaking restaurant news going down like whoa.
Dallas is a city where infamy is a full circle process of birth, life, death and resurrection. And nowhere is this better exemplified by the local food scene.
Take Deep Ellum, for instance, where the neighborhood will soon lose another fixture when Spirits Dallas closes this Saturday, March 1. But before the longtime go-to cheap liquor spot shutters its doors for good this weekend, it'll be offering up 10 percent off deals on everything in the store. That should, if nothing else, make pouring one out in its memory a little more affordable.
On the other hand, after a slew of legal issues, the original Snuffer's will finally rise up from the ashes to once again provide Greenville Avenue with its infamous cheddar fries starting on March 10. If you've been following this column for any length of time, then you're likely aware that, while the re-opening will come inside a building newly built from the ground up, it will not house the smiling face of original owner Pat Snuffer, who still says he'll be launching a new venture of his own in the near future. Despite being under new management, though, everything else is expected to remain as close the original as possible — with the exception of guacamole as option.
Another new opening to be on the lookout for is the latest venture from the folks behind Deep Ellum's of Uncle Uber's Sammich Shop. And when they open up their second free-standing restaurant, Green Door Public House, they'll be preserving a little bit of history in the process. The new restaurant will occupy the remains of the Liberty Building, preserving the important architectural elements in its construction. As for the menu? Just don't expect sandwiches. Per the owners, they'll be serving grass-fed burgers, steaks, seafood and a selection of local beers and hand-crafted cocktails. They also say that opening should happen sometime this summer.
If historical landmarks aren't enough to draw your attention, then maybe a catchy name is. So & So's, a new venture from the old Sfuzzi crew set to ope in the old Primo's Tex Mex spot on McKinney Avenue, is gaining attention just for its ambiguous name. It even got them almost 600 Facebook likes in less than 24 hours. Mystery always makes for a great marketing campaign; management hasn't released any information on the concept of the restaurant yet. We can only hope that the slightly ingenious name comes with a matching menu and atmosphere.
If they're looking for chefs, though, they are plenty around. This week, chefs at Souk, Komali, Salum and Wild Salsa all lost their chefs.
In beer news, Community Beer Company will begin rolling out six packs of its Public Ale this week. The award-winning beer is currently available at all four of the North Texas Total Wine locations, with more stores to be added soon.
Meanwhile, Denton's Rabbit Hole Brewing is releasing its new 10/6 English IPA, which representatives from the brewery say mixes the piney, citrusy and bitter hops of the West Coast with earthier English hops. The new brew will be celebrated at four separate launch parties this Friday, February 28, at Dallas' Luck, Fort Worth's Bearded Lady, Addison's Flying Saucer and Denton's East Side Social Club.
Cover photos via Spirits' Facebook page. Got a tip for The Spread? Email us!