D

The Screen Door Deal is Weird to Me

I’ve had a few minutes to re-read the press release on Screen Door. This one paragraph is perplexing. First the graf:

MCM Restaurants is a newly formed restaurant brand development company combining the forces and expertise of veteran restaurateurs Mico Rodriguez and David McMillan, along with contributing partners Robert Colombo and Teiichi Sakurai. With a goal of developing creative restaurants that are conceived and run the best way possible, Screen Door is MCM Restaurant’s first project.

So, Sakurai (Tei-An), Colombo (Trece, Villo-O), McMillan (Consilient, 62 Main), and Rodriguez (M Crowd) are forming a company to develop and run restaurants? Any one of them could have done the same either on their own or as a partnership with another. But FOUR of them? How will they ever be able to pay themselves and make money at the same time? Are there that many restaurants in town that have the kind of money it would take to have these guys come in and save them? I smell too many chiefs and not enough wampum. Very curious, this is all very curious to me.

Official Word From Screen Door

SCREEN DOOR ANNOUNCES NEW MANAGEMENT TEAM

Restaurant veterans Michael “Mico” Rodriguez and Chef/Partner David McMillan join One Arts Plaza restaurant

(Dallas, TX) – Screen Door, a modern southern kitchen located in the Dallas Arts District, announces the appointment of a new management company.  With a newly formed company, MCM Restaurants, Michael “Mico” Rodriguez will now serve as Screen Door’s Executive Director, overseeing the day to day operations of the One Arts Plaza restaurant.  Chef/Partner David McMillan will bring his renowned culinary and management skills to Screen Door’s kitchen.

“We are so fortunate that these two great talents have come together for a merger.  At Screen Door we have a great dining concept that is ready to be leveraged and enhanced into the home cooking heart of the Arts District.  I am genuinely thrilled about the possibilities that these industry stalwarts bring to Screen Door,” remarked Lucy Billingsley, partner, Billingsley Company.

MCM Restaurants is a newly formed restaurant brand development company combining the forces and expertise of veteran restaurateurs Mico Rodriguez and David McMillan, along with contributing partners Robert Colombo and Teiichi Sakurai. With a goal of developing creative restaurants that are conceived and run the best way possible, Screen Door is MCM Restaurant’s first project. (more…)

Stone Elephant Opens on Abrams in East Dallas

Michael Kobelt (Rawlings @ The Ballpark in Arlington and Charlie Palmer @ The Joule) and Timm Zbylut (former GM at Lee Harvey’s) have teamed up to open the Stone Elephant across from Jakes at Skillman and Abrams. Right now they are serving a limited bar and grill menu and will be expanding the list to include home-style features and brunch on Saturday and Sunday. They have big screen TVs, a stage for bands, karaoke, pool tables and video games. Details to follow.

Revolving People at Screen Door at One Arts Plaza

Chef Fitzgerald Dodd gets caught in the topsy turvy world of Screen Door.

According to a recent TG Outburst, there has been a major shake up down at Screen Door. Chef Fitzgerald Dodd is out and the odd couple of Mico Rodriguez and chef David McMillan have been hired to redo the place. Fitzgerald Dodd has been a great chef for that restaurant. This situation reeks of Dodd getting squeezed out in a power play for management. Original owner Scott Jones has vanished somewhat silently from the scene. Where is general manager Rick Stein? Screen Door is now Dallas’ hottest soap opera. Could Fedora be far behind? Interesting, isn’t it?

Remembering Free Matches in Dallas Restaurants

Mitch and Kristen Kauffman of Urbano send this picture of a portion of their match collection. Mitch asks the question.

I was wondering what do restaurants do to give patrons something to take with them. I thought about things like a matchbook looking piece that may have such things as- toothpicks, though I hate the sight of a person picking at their teeth in the dining room. How about floss? What else?

I recently picked up matches at Oceanaire and Popolos. They’re perfect for this. If you have old matches, take a photo and I’ll start a scrapbook. I’m on deadline with nothing but work to do.

What The Grape’s Brian Luscher Thinks About Dining Critics

Bend over and click here. Luscher, I thought you’d hit harder than that. You take your strongest stance on cell phone cameras? You say, “Taking scalps just because you have a hatchet isn’t the same as writing a fair review.” Are you talking about bloggers or paid dining critics? Come on, let’s rumble. Get Faries (”State” Fairies), Brenner, and Teegster over here.