Porttia PortisThe Free Man Says No To Hate, And Dallas’ Newest BBQ Spot Will Feature A Ferris Wheel.
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.
As the recent events in Orlando have continued to reveal polarizing thoughts about the LGBT community, Deep Ellum restaurant and venue The Free Man‘s owner John Jay Myers took a stand against the negative after a recent bout with a now-former employee.
Following a hate-ridden social media post, the employee was immediately let go due to the sensitive nature of the situation.
Myers provided us with the context behind his decision making via Facebook: “My point was more to protect all people from ignorance. Anyone who believes that those people ‘got what was coming’ is crossing a line. Honestly, you could say so many different things that I would tolerate — Kennedy was assassinated by Muppets, the moon landing was fake, 9/11 was pulled off by a lawn company in Idaho, our foreign policy is terrible (which it is). But none of these things expresses a desire to see innocent people dead. The idea has been brought up several times that this is a freedom of speech issue and how ‘un-libertarian’ of me (I actually ran for U.S. Senate against Ted Cruz in the general) but the fact is the first amendment starts [with] ‘Congress will make no law….’ I am not congress. I would be completely against someone trying to make it illegal for him saying what he said. However — again, I am not congress — you are responsible for your actions and your words. If your words paint you as a hateful person who believes innocent people should die, then I am going to have to remove you from my world. (Obviously not harm them, but keep them from doing harm to me, our company or our customers.) I do want to stress again that my tolerance for most people’s opinions or ideas runs deeper than most. But this particular idea is condoning death to innocent people. That’s too much.”
Myers noted that in addition to a slew of troublesome comments found in the original thread, that some fellow employees came forward to express their discomfort with the individual’s comments on race relations. Although the incident was unfortunate, Myers doesn’t intend to police employees’ behaviors or add stricter hiring practices at his establishment.
In lighter news: USA Today ranked Dallas’ best breakfast spots. The list mentions all-day breakfast options like Jonathon’s Oak Cliff and classics like Kuby’s Sausage House, among others.
Meanwhile, a pop-up venture called The Blind Café aims to show patrons what it’s like to live with blindness with a dinner and show in complete darkness. Per GuideLive, an evening at the touring restaurant will feature a vegetarian dinner, followed by a discussion on what it is like to live with blindness. The event takes place June 16-18 from 6 to 8:30 at the Atlantis Business Center in Carrollton.
And, out in the suburbs, a taco game-changer is making its way to Flower Mound. Urbano Enchilada & Taco Bar will feature a menu of craft tacos and enchiladas, as well as a selection of margaritas and a full-service bar. An opening is slated for this summer.
The east end of Deep Ellum’s got another taco joint coming, too: The team behind Braindead Brewing is opening a spot called Bowl & Tacos on Commerce Street in an old Gulf station, just a stone’s throw from the Double Wide and Cold Beer Company. Per Side Dish, the spot will focus on fish tacos and poke bowls, with a full bar and cocktails courtesy of the great Mate Hartai.
Staying on the taco front, Fort Worth’s Revolver Taco Lounge is moving its original location. Owner Regino Rojas told the Dallas Observer that the restaurant was unable to renew the lease at its current space. Rojas hopes to be at a larger Forest Park Boulevard location by August or September.
In barbecue news: The popular North Dallas haunt Cattleack Barbeque is expanding. The restaurant is closing its doors on Thursday, June 17, to add 100 seats to its setup. The restaurant will host a grand reopening celebration on Thursday, July 7.
In news on the same front, a new restaurant from This and That Concepts (Wayward Sons) will feature barbecue and an actual Ferris wheel. CultureMap reports that the venture, called Ferris Wheeler’s Backyard & BBQ will have a chef-driven menu curated by chef Graham Dodds, in addition to a Texas craft beer focus and live entertainment. Look for an opening this fall.
Finally, in craft beer news: Ascension Coffee is partnering with Noble Rey Brewing and Community Beer Co. on a cigar and beer pairing. The event takes place on Thursday, June 16 from 5 to 7 p.m.
Cover photo by Jeremy Hughes. Got a tip for The Spread? Email us!