Driftwood to Open at 642 W. Davis in Oak Cliff

Posted on October 21st, 2011 9:30am by Nancy Nichols
Filed under oak cliff, Openings/Closings, Restaurant News

A few weeks ago, I was digging around the city building permits and pulled up an application for 642 Davis. I contacted some high profile restaurant folks in The OC and they refused to tell me who was behind the venture. Well, I found out anyway.

Veteran restaurant GM Jonn (Salve, Dallas Fish Market, Nicola) Baudoin is the man behind the concept going into the former Confusion space on West Davis. 642, right next door to Bolsa’s new market Mercado to be exact. Driftwood is the name and seafood-centric will be their game. “New American with an East Coast and a West Coast influence,” Baudoin says. The vibe? The Hamptons meet Oak Cliff. The price? Small and large plates from $7 to mid-$20s. Total seating, inside and out, is 90. “I will take a limited number of reservations for tables inside,” Baudoin says. “I want to appeal to people who have to drive to Oak Cliff.”

Baudoin is more concerned about a well-priced and interesting wine list than cocktails. “We will have 6 to 8 specialty cocktails. But for the seafood, I want to have a unique list of wine.” The approachable, refined menu will be cooked by a chef. However, Baudoin, now an official member of the OC Restaurant Owners Secret Keepers, will not tell me HIS name. “He’s currently in Dallas at one of the top 100 restaurants list in the Dallas Morning News,” Baudoin says. “He’s put in his notice and it will be announced within 4 weeks.”

We’ll see about that.

17 comments

  1. What’s that new place going to be thats got a new wood porch before the new Glorias on Davis?

    @ 9:46 am on October 21, 2011

  2. “I want to appeal to people who have to drive to Oak Cliff.”

    Umm…what about the people who LIVE in OC?

    Or will this be a place Uptowners come to be hip and all “urban”? Just tell me now so I’ll know to avoid it. Like the new Gloria’s. I miss the days of just going to Gloria’s (the old one) without feeling like I’m not dressed up enough.

    @ 10:25 am on October 21, 2011

  3. An Oak Cliff restaurant not made for Oak Cliff residents. Great!

    @ 10:41 am on October 21, 2011

  4. just make sure you get some oysters up in there. the lack of raw bars in this town drives me insane. why cant i get a dozen of virginicas or kumamotos and a glass of champagne anywhere in this town? heres to hoping i can in my own neighborhood when this joint opens!!

    @ 10:56 am on October 21, 2011

  5. I’m hearing the new wood porch behind Gloria’s is going to be a new bar/ restaurant opened by the Frankie’s folks… but haven’t gotten confirmation yet.

    @ 11:20 am on October 21, 2011

  6. @matt re: kumamotos- it’s illegal to import pacific oysters.

    @ 11:39 am on October 21, 2011

  7. Ohhhh, this sounds interesting. Dallas needs a good seafood stop and OC is the place to do it. Good food served with minimal annoying pretense.

    @ 11:43 am on October 21, 2011

  8. @CFS – Not sure what you mean. I was lucky enough to have some at tei tei the other night on special. Plus, you can have them sent to your door by many places online??

    @ 11:46 am on October 21, 2011

  9. Brenner did an article about oysters and the illegal importation:
    http://www.dallasnews.com/entertainment/columnists/leslie-brenner/20101027-Table-talk-East-Coast-vs-9441.ece

    @ 11:59 am on October 21, 2011

  10. Driftwood is designed to be a restaurant FOR Oak Cliff and It’s residents….but I also want to appeal to the foodies who like to make reservations so they know they can get a table once they drive there (weather that drive is 3 blocks or 30 miles!)
    Our price points are geared towards the Oak Cliff residents so they can dine with us multiple times a week.
    Yes we will have sustainable / legal seafood items like oysters and crudo.
    I met with some fellow restaurant owners in the area when I started this project to make sure this would compliment the existing restaurants and give the residents another dinning option.

    Thank you,

    Jonn

    @ 1:33 pm on October 21, 2011

  11. Well, if that is still the case, it looks like I got some illegally last week! Score. No one tell Tei Tei please…

    PS: Thank you for bringing oysters to the OC Jonn!

    @ 2:07 pm on October 21, 2011

  12. Jonn – Will you be IDing us? Maybe ask for a utility bill? Sounds like you don’t want anyone outside of OC to patronize your place.

    @ 2:15 pm on October 21, 2011

  13. Okay Jonn, I think I misinterpreted your comment. Looking forward to another indie destination in the hood!

    @ 2:16 pm on October 21, 2011

  14. Sounds great! We need a seafood spot in O.C..

    @ 3:01 pm on October 21, 2011

  15. You can get Pacific oysters, you just have to deal directly.

    @ 5:09 pm on October 21, 2011

  16. Congrats Jonn!

    @ 10:33 pm on October 21, 2011

  17. [...] new restaurant, Driftwood, is going into the former ConFusion space at 642 W. Davis. It’s a high-end seafood place the owner describes as “The Hamptons meet Oak [...]

    @ 11:12 am on October 28, 2011