image from dallasuptownguide.com

After Borders went bankrupt, we all began to speculate what would happen with the empty Uptown storefront on 3600 McKinney. Now that 4,200 square ft. space will serve fried chicken and Kobe beef burgers at Max’s Wine Dive, a restaurant with locations in Houston, Austin, and San Antonio. Owner Jerry Lasco has spent a good three years looking for the right spot in Dallas, and apparently this is the one. Was it love at first sight?

It doesn’t matter. Jerry still feels like a lucky man.

We’re very excited to be coming to Dallas!  MAX’s Wine Dive is not really a “wine bar” though it does have plenty of wine.  MAX’s is a chef-driven, scratch kitchen restaurant/bar that focuses on pairing gourmet comfort food with wine from around the world in an unpretentious and high energy environment. There will be a 50 foot “shotgun” style bar that will provide the best seats in the house to observe the open kitchen. Our menus are divided in half:  On one side are our “Classics,” such as “Fried Chicken and Champagne,” Kobe beef burgers, “Nacho Mamma’s Oysters,” and Truffle MAX ‘n Cheese, and on the other side are the “Chef’s Creations” (we’ll hire locally and give that chef the opportunity to put his or her stamp on the MAX’s Dallas menu).  In addition, all of the wine we serve in the restaurant is available to be purchased “to-go” in a retail transaction – so guests can take a bottle of their favorite wine after dinner or stop in any time to pick up a bottle or case for home… We are anticipating opening in the fourth quarter.

No word on the Execuchef for the wine dive either. Jerry says, “We don’t know yet—any suggestions?”

Ahi tuna nachos with red chili and wasabi paste (photos by Jason Acton)

The old Place at Perry’s (from what I’ve heard) was dark and stuffy. No windows. No light. After three months of shutting down its entire operation, the Place at Perry’s has now reopened in a new location at 2680 Cedar Springs Road. Same owner, same chef Jaime Corona, but a completely new staff and vibe. The new building is swanky, hip, and modern. And it’s definitely worth checking out.

Jump for pretty pictures by Jason Acton.

Entryway: An edible garden in the patio area that Chef Corona uses in some of his dishes.

In the front of the restaurant: a striking red glass piece called the “Crimson Cascade” by artisan David Gappa, an opening dining area with moderate natural light, and pops of color among grey neutral furniture.

In the back: a hidden-away 1920s speakeasy bar where two bartenders serve gastronomy cocktails. There’s a separate entrance to the bar; it’s dark and has the same feel as the old Place at Perry’s for old, loyal customers.

Good eats: At this media event I was invited to, the Place at Perry’s served finger foods that customers can find on their menu. There were jumbo crab cakes with mustard remoulade, shrimp and grits with green onion, seasonal tomatoes with mozz, and my favorite: the ahi tuna nachos. The nacho skin was thin and crispy, which paired perfectly with the fresh ahi tuna.

The final say: Plenty of space for diners, love the speakeasy feel, and I can’t stop thinking about those ahi tuna nachos.

Place at Perry’s
2680 Cedar Springs Rd.
Dallas, TX 75201
214.871.9991

Too bad Eater’s hottest chef contest is over, because I’m pretty sure Chad Starling could’ve won based on looks alone. This guy’s a looker!

Tim Love's new Woodshed.

I swiped this photo off chef Tim Love’s own Twitter feed; I doubt he’ll mind. He’s laid back like that.

Word on the street is that, in his new Woodshed smokehouse on Riverfront Drive in Fort Worth, he’ll be serving six to eight meats per day and have more than 30 beers on tap. We hear that wild boar and banh mi will feature prominently on the menu.

Back in August, June Naylor over at dfw.com talked about it here. At the risk of beating Tim’s horse to death (note: we can guarantee that horse, dead or otherwise, will NOT be on the menu), let us just say that we are excited to see how it all smokes out.

Imagine if you were sitting down for coffee with Uncle Sam, and the conversation started like this:

Uncle Sam: “Hey, we’re having a little budget problem and we’re going to collect your next month’s taxes out of your next paycheck.”

You: “But I might not have a job next month, and this month I have a mortgage that needs to be paid, utilities, car payment, kids in college [the list goes on]. How can I pay you ahead of time if I haven’t earned the money yet?”

Uncle Sam: “Whatever.”

Certainly this scene would not be appetizing to any taxpayer – individual or business – especially in a state that touts its tax friendliness. So it was a surprise to read in the 2011 Legislative Update issued by Susan Combs Comptroller of Public Accounts, that the State of Texas has cooked their books with a recipe for disaster for small restaurants. They’ve added Senate Bill 1, an “advance tax payment” plan to balance their biannual budget.  This follows a revised state franchise tax that burdens restaurants with a very high effective-net-income rate. They are literally trying to kill us.

Gory details below.

I used the example above  because for most small to mid-sized restaurant owners their business income is their personal income.  They have landlords, employees, insurance, and vendors to pay. Few have access to any other kinds of business credit lines. If there is anything left over after the loan payments or investor withdrawals, they pay themselves wages for their blood, sweat and tears. If this advanced payment hits the industry at what is typically one of the slowest sales months of the year – it would be like asking an individual for a loan on December 15. Ho, Ho, Ho.

But there it is, in black and white. Senate Bill 1 requires remitters of sales tax and mixed beverage taxes to add an additional 25% of the tax due as a “prepayment” to their July 2013 tax bills (payable in August). Conveniently, the state’s fiscal year end is August 31. Credit is given for the advance in September, but for even the smallest of those in the industry who pay both taxes this would total in the thousands of dollars. The question is where will they get it from?

The Legislator’s previous effort to fix the state budget resulted in the revised Franchise Tax. Though not technically an “income tax,” it certainly is an income-based tax. Certain costs of business (costs that are positive for Texas and the economy in general) are penalized because they are not allowed to be deducted from the tax. Yet these expenses bring down the restaurants income – labor (waiters, hostesses and bussers), rent, insurance, marketing, and taxes are considered taxable. Yes, taxes are taxable. While 14% of every drink sale is sent to the state for Mixed Beverage taxes, it is not considered deductible from state Franchise tax calculation. Neither is a significant portion of property taxes paid to local governments, nor payroll taxes. Restaurants, while appearing to benefit from a lower rate of .5 percent, can end up with a franchise tax due equal to 100% or higher of their actual net income.

In an industry well known for its high rate of failures, an often overlooked fact is what strong tax generators successful restaurants are. A full-service, lunch-and-dinner, liquor-serving business generates more taxes per-square-foot than most industries. Payroll tax, mixed beverage tax, property tax, franchise tax, while very beneficial to the government, all carve away at an already slim margin for the business owner. Sales tax is collected from the guest and passed on to the state as well. It’s not an expense like the others, but definitely a byproduct of the restaurant’s hard work and efforts that goes back to taxpayers.

Typically the more high tax generators a city has, the stronger its budget (Addison hasn’t been complaining of any shortfalls lately), and the same is true for our state. Perhaps it was because of this successful generation of taxes that the Legislature felt compelled to double down on leveraging the restaurant industry. After all, the larger the numbers, the less effort it takes to make their budget balance. In the meantime we can only hope this recipe doesn’t become part of their regular political diet.

So when the Colombo family took a culinary tour of Italy, eating their way through Venice, Tuscany, Florence and the Amalfi Coast, Colombo was inspired to bring another Tuscan dining operation to Dallas.

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JonesBaker designed princi | italia to reflect a limestone Tuscan farmhouse with warm and modern elements added. The interior includes a vaulted-beamed ceiling, distressed wood basket chandeliers, Venetian-plastered stone walls, abundant natural light and white-washed wood beams. The restaurant will also feature a large garden patio shaded by two historic live oak trees, steel and wood arbors, fans and built-in heaters for those guests who prefer to dine outdoors at any time of the year.

Executive chef Kevin Ascolese, who has 35 years of restaurant experience all over the nation, and pastry chef David Brawley, who has spent three years teaching at the Art Institute and Le Cordon Bleu and was executive chef at N9NE Steakhouse and Nove, join the team in the kitchen.

The kitchen will offer homemade pastas, seasonal vegetables, light and lemony salads, and Napolitano-style pizzas in the restaurant’s oak wood-burning pizza oven. Menu stand-outs include tortollini fonduta with black truffle and butter sauce; Italian wedding soup with chicken meatballs, pastina, and gremolata; fava bean alla Toscana bruschette; and quattro formaggio “bianco” pizza with mozzarella, parmesan, gorgonzola and goat cheese.

princi | italia will serve only dinner for the month of September. Hours will be from Sunday through Thursday, 4 to 10 p.m. and Friday and Saturday 4 to 11 p.m.  Beginning October 4, the restaurant plans to open for lunch from Monday through Saturday beginning at 11:30 a.m. and Sunday brunch beginning at 10:30 a.m.

Meso Maya's foyer (left) and strawberry & serrano margarita (right) (All photos courtesy of Meso Maya)

What to expect: Meso Maya, the self-labeled “simple modern Mexican food” restaurant that opened in Preston Forest Shopping Center last week has success writ large from the kitchen to the curb. First, chef Nico Sanchez (The Porch, Hibiscus), whom owner Mike Karns (president of El Fenix) lured away from the Consilient Restaurant Group, is heading up the kitchen. Second, the management team is being wrangled, in part, by the lovely MCrowd veteran, Elizabeth Ruiz. Third, the menu is packed with abundant deliciousness from the fresh margaritas, to the guacamole, to the house-specialty budin Azteca.

We visited (undercover) last week and are still talking about it today. Here’s the scoop:

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On the menu: We started with a house margarita and an order of guacamole. The restaurant’s benchmark — a stunning, fresh margarita — provided a refreshing wake-up call. In a town where you can end up with a margarita made from a mix as easily as you can find yourself drinking a wine-a-rita, being presented with such a solid house drink is worth noting. Within minutes our guacamole arrived. While it was not made tableside, the mash did not suffer from the lack of theatrics. It’s chunky, creamy texture, simple recipe, and verdant color make it a must-order. Likewise for the accompanying chips and house salsa. Although I did not ask at the time, I’d put money on the thin, salty, crispy chips being made in-house.

Rough wood, succulents, and stucco accents hit the interior Mexican vibe hard.

For an entree, I ordered the house specialty: shrimp budin Azteca, which is a sort of Mexican lasagna. My companions settled on carne asada and chicken enchiladas. While the carne asada’s saltiness and moderate chewiness made it just so-so, the budin Azteca was worth ordering again and again. Think of it as Mexican comfort food. The layered corn tortilla pie is neither fancy or complex, but the satisfaction that comes from biting through so many layers of tortilla, cheese, and salsa verde…there’s very little as satisfying. When paired with an order of the cheesy, creamy, savory elote (street corn), the combination is elegant (albeit unnecessary).

Budin Azteca with shrimp (left); queso fundido with an avocado rita (right)

Also notable were the tortillas used in the enchiladas. I would not have thought to praise this in a tortilla, but these were delicate and pliant in a way that all but vanished on the tongue so that the flavors of the chicken, cheese, and sauce could claim center stage.

For dessert, we took our server, Cesar’s, recommendation and ordered the postal de moras, or blueberry terrine, which turned out to be a hot, hearty, dense blueberry cobbler that would score big points any brunch or dessert table. At the end of this particular meal, the flavor and texture pushed us to a place that was nearly transcendent. This one dessert, while not huge, provided a portion-correct capper, even when split between three people.

Succulents (left) and pollo con mole (right)

Who was there: A real mix of Park Cities parents, nondescript regional-Mexican devotees, and even a table of savvy-looking teenagers.

Where to sit: That’s a tough one. William Baker (Meddlesome Moth, Cibus, Rusty Taco) designed the 4,800-square-foot space to have three dining areas and a bar overlooking the open kitchen. The room has little dead space. If you are on a date, ask for the back room with its shadowy corners. Large group? Reserve the maxi-banquette in the far back. Otherwise, sit in a booth along the wall, or at the bar where you’ll have a view of Nico’s kitchen. 

The sultrier back dining area.

Price: The bill felt very reasonable, especially given the flawless service and the level of our enjoyment. For a margarita ($7), guacamole ($8), two soft drinks ($2.25), chicken enchiladas ($11), budin Azteca ($14), carne asada ($18), elote ($4), and postal de moras ($6), our dinner for three came in at $77.90 before tip.

Nice detail: The styling of the room is top notch, from the succulents on the tables to the thematic Mexican furniture in the foyer. Also of note, our waiter, Cesar (who you can also find at La Duni), is one of my favorite servers in town.

The takeaway: Surprisingly, we did not need a reservation, but I’d imagine, now that the word is out, those days are gone. Regardless, the vibe is easy and feasty and did not feel rushed. I’d have preferred if the manager had not called me a “lightweight” for only wanting one drink, but that’s a small gripe from an otherwise stellar experience.

*Hey, eagle-eye: yes, you’re right. The images do not match with all of the dishes mentioned in the text. Sadly, we were unable to gain access to shoot photos of our own and instead are using images supplied by the restaurant. They’re good images, but still…

Bob Young: Remembering Marcello Rosen

On Tues., July 19, my family (wife Paula, daughter Lacey, son Christopher, and his fiancee, Katie) and I celebrated Paula’s birthday at our favorite restaurant, Toulouse. We arrived to find that our requested table was occupied by none other than restaurateur Alberto Lombardi and several of his family members and friends—including his go-to real estate broker, Marcello Rosen.

As the table transitioned to us, we exchanged warm hellos with Alberto and Marcello.

Less than a month later, on Fri., August 12, my son and I attended a memorial service for Marcello, who had lost a courageous battle with cancer. Christopher (who’s also a fellow Weitzman broker) and I were both struck by the frailty and sanctity of life—and the loss of a true real estate professional and a valued business friend.

The service was attended by hundreds of Marcello’s friends and family, including Dallas restaurateurs Avner and Celeste Samuel (NOSH), Alberto and Vivian Lombardi (La Fiorentina, Cibus), Taco and Duni Borga (La Duni), and Brian and Courtney Luscher (The Grape)—as well as restaurant brokers Dennis Leibovitz, Steve Williamson, Jack Gosnell, Alan Mann, Nelson Billups, and many others —all there to pay respects to a well-liked player in our business.

Marcello lived a fascinating life and was a successful retailer in his own right (as co-founder of the Pea in a Pod chain) before switching over to the commercial real estate arena, focusing on restaurant development and site selection. Most recently he was senior vice president at Dunhill Partners.

As tough as it was to realize the loss of Marcello, I was comforted by the sense of community of our commercial real estate industry. On my next visit to Toulouse, La Duni, Nosh, or The Grape, I will raise my glass and toast Marcello, a true professional and a friend.

Bob Young is managing director of The Weitzman Group. Contact him at byoung@weitzmangroup.com.

Table settings (left) and prepped shrimp and veggies (right). Photos by Sarah Reiss.

File this one under the heading: good people doing a pretty great thing. Last night, Chefs Chad Houser (you may remember him from his recent adventures in Eating Lebanon) and Janice Provost of Parigi, supported by an armada of well-intentioned chefs, foodies, and community organizers, opened doors on the first pop-up incarnation of Café Momentum, a nonprofit restaurant concept that will serve as a culinary training facility for disadvantaged young men from Dallas County Youth Village (DCYV is a facility dedicated to helping juvenile offenders, ages 10 to 17, reach their law-abiding potential and divert them from further involvement with the juvenile justice system or progression to greater offenses by putting positive outcomes within their reach).

The aspiring chefs will train alongside some of Dallas finest chefs, who will rotate for monthly stints as chef-in-residence. Last night’s inaugural guest chef, Jeffery Hobbs (Celebration, Riviera, Toscana, Hotel St. Germain, Il Sole, and, oh yeah, Suze) presided over a menu that utilized fresh-off-the-farm ingredients. We’re hoping that July’s guest chef, Randall Copeland of Ava, will feature his own awesome biscuits somewhere in the menu.

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“When the young participants graduate from the Momentum program, they will be provided with paid internships working in the Youth Village kitchen,” the program’s organizers note.  The goal? “Eventually they will have the opportunity to work at Café Momentum for one year, in an internship-style environment, alongside a rotating roster of guest chefs from the Dallas area. In addition to seeing the style and technique of each chef, the boys will leave Café Momentum with a list of 12 chefs to use as employment contacts or references.”

It may be a while until the consortium secures the funding to open a permanent cafe (projected date: sometime in the fall), but until then, pop-ups will appear monthly throughout town. Check the cafe’s Facebook page for details on the next one. Last night’s sold out quickly, by world of mouth, so I’d suggest a speedy reservation if you want in on July’s dinner.

Chef Janice Provost, a Parigi chef volunteer, and guest chef Jeffery Hobbs prep the passed hors d'oeuvres.

Panazella (buttermilk biscuit over green tomato, basil, and smoked paprika vinaigrette) and coconut white custard in East Texas blueberry compote with a cinnamon graham tuille.

Grilled tilapia with green cabbage mango slaw, black garbanzo puree, and yucca chips.

Charred flat iron steak with wilted pea tendrils, cosmic carrots, and caper aioli.

The Farmer (left) and The Rib (right), just two of the options on the Burger Bar section of The Commissary's menu. (photos by Desirée Espada)

The Commissary, Chef John Tesar’s indoor-outdoor burger & bites venue in One Arts Plaza has been packed since day one. Reasonably so. The restaurant, which specializes in daring combinations of ingredients (burgers made from braised pig’s tail, pork, and beef) and new approaches to old standards (avocado fries), is to summertime what the swallow is to spring—a harbinger of good things to come.

(Writer’s note: To be clear, this review of The Commissary was done incognito. We paid for everything we ate, and no preferential treatment was given. My later visit to The Table, which is mentioned as a “nice detail” toward the end of this article, was part of an invitation dinner and was hosted after the review process was complete. While I mention The Table in this review of The Commissary, it is added as an aside and is not reviewed herein. We apologize for any confusion or underrepresentation of the tots.)

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Fennel heart and shaved artichoke salad (photo by Desirée Espada)

The set-up: When I was in high school, my PE teacher looked at me one day and said, “Well, you may not be fast, but at least you’re uncoordinated.” Why do I bring this up? Because, luckily, I wasn’t any more interested in being an athlete than The Commissary is in fine dining. Had Tesar (or I) aimed differently, neither of us would have found our respective niches. In Tesar’s case, a tightly packed and, dare I say, cheap gourmet burger joint in an easy-to-get-to location with excellent views.

Heirloom tomato and watermelon salad with feta. (photo by Desirée Espada)

On the menu: While an appetizer is not a must, a few items on the menu make notable showings. Several diners were happily tucked into a mountainous bowl of Parmesan popcorn, and while I do not eat them myself, I hear from a trusted source that the deviled eggs are bright and seasoned to perfection. For myself, I headed directly to the salad section of the menu, where the reputation of the fennel hearts, shaved artichoke, reggiano cheese, lemon and olive oil made ordering it a must. The fennel’s refreshingly high water content and lemony dressing disappeared into each other so completely that it felt impossible to differentiate the two—as if the lemony edge rose up from within the fennel itself. The tomato-based salads, especially those with Paula Lambert’s cheeses, will only improve as the season progresses.

The unorthodox Burger Bar appears to be Tesar’s wheelhouse. Sure, when faced with the 14 variations on the menu you could order the more traditional Magic Burger (with aged cheddar, bacon, lettuce, and tomato on an English muffin), but such prudence would be a crime in the presence of The Rib, a falling-apart, braised short rib topped with collard greens and horseradish mayo and served on a brioche bun. Seriously. Likewise, the lamb-based Tandoori Burger sings with tandoori spices, pickled cucumbers, and tzatziki. (Unfortunately, our first run at this burger arrived in a tartare state as opposed to the medium-well we’d requested. Its replacement was a little long in coming but was, while still not medium-well, at least more cooked.) The jury is still out on The Tail End, a patty of braised pig’s tail, ground pork, ground beef, topped with roasted pork belly, green tomato chutney, and jalapeno mayo and served on a brioche bun. The comments boil down to this: love it, but don’t want to look at it or think about it. Fair enough. And while I did not order The Farmer, a fried duck egg, Vermont white cheddar, and speck atop a beef burger served on a brioche bun with eschire butter, my colleague who did had nothing but praise, despite the messiness of the fried egg topper.

Tandoori burger with skinny fries. (photo by Desirée Espada)

I could order the sides alone and leave completely happy. The sweet potato tots could easily double as a dessert. The onion rings are crisp and batter-dipped, and the salty fries (both skinny and fat)  have the option of being topped with Tesar’s secret-recipe magic or disco sauces. As for desserts, if Tesar’s doing his job right you shouldn’t have room for one. But if you do, the chocolate and hazelnut tart with caramelized bananas and chocolate sorbet is small enough to not overwhelm yet large enough for two people to each feel like they’ve had a sweet spoiler.

Who was there: Lunch draws the downtown business crowd, natch, while the dinner bunch appears to be 75 percent theater goer and 25 percent anything goes.

The Tail End getting upstaged by the onion rings. (Photo by Sarah Reiss)

Where to sit: Because the room is so tightly packed, I’d sit in the banquette seating or on one of the outside patios. Because of the restaurants western-facing glass wall, most seats offer that sought-after view of downtown.

Price: Impressively inexpensive. Burgers start at $6 and only go as high as $14 (for the crab cake burger). Most fall around $9. Tap wine is $6-$7 a glass. Wine cocktails are $9. Sangria can be ordered by the punchbowl for $35 for a 9-glass bowl. Beer ranges from $3 (Blue Ribbon Lager) to $19 (750 ml bottle of Saison Dupont).

Crab cake burger and sweet potato tots (left) and chocolate & hazelnut tart (right) (photos by Sarah Reiss and Desirée Espada)

Mild concern: While the servers run hot & cold, they do seem to be improving. By the time summer evenings are fully upon us and downtowners flock to the patios for after-work cocktails, I feel confident that the service kinks will be worked out.

Nice detail: On a separate occasion, Tesar invited me to a private tasting preview for The Table, Tesar’s gourmet tasting room within the restaurant. Unlike other private tables, this one will be open to singletons, couples, and larger groups and will be treated as a community table serving a multi-course tasting menu with wine pairings. On the night I visited, it became clear very quickly that no one else in town is doing anything like this at this price point. The table is casual, yet refined. Friendly, yet elevated. Six-course, fixed price menus will run you a mere $55 on Thursday, $65 on Friday, and $75 on Saturday evenings. Wine adds a modest additional expense. Menus start with canapes, amuse-bouche, and a cheese cart and finish with the restaurant’s signature candy cart (think macaroons and toffee). Best of all, when you reserve a seat, it’s yours for the evening. No bum’s rush. The atmosphere is intended to be deconstructed, communal, and fun.

The takeaway: Two sentences—I would walk a mile for The Rib. It’s that good.

Hi D folks. I see that people send you questions, so I thought I’d give it a try. I’m trying to hire this guy from another city.  The company is flying him in for a final interview next week. I know he has other offers, so I want to sweeten the deal by showing him that Dallas has restaurants that will blow his mind. Problem is, we only get one breakfast, one lunch and one dinner with him before he flies out again. Where should we take him? It doesn’t need to be fancy. But it should make him say WOW! Even if it’s a taco joint. I want to show him what we do best. The office is pretty centrally located in town, so no neighborhood is off limits. Any ideas?

I love this question. Build your perfect eating day.

The One Arts Plaza patio of The Commissary. (Photo by Desirée Espada.)

The local chef groupies’ tongues are wagging so vigorously today that we can feel the breeze up here on the 21st floor. I, like they, attended the industry preview of The Commissary last night. Facebook and blogger reviews are already slathering on praise. Imagine what they’ll say when it actually opens.

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Given that the joint hasn’t officially hung out its shingle yet, writing any kind of review at this point, positive or negative, would be unfair. Instead, we’ll wait until next week to give it the attention it deserves. It would also be close to impossible for me to judge the food given that I had the opportunity to taste very little of it. Sliders, desserts, and assorted finger foods swirled around us during the hour I was there, but only once came within reach. Turns out, the local foodies had a strategy: hang out close to the kitchen and nab the food as it comes off the line.

Clearly, my gals and I had made a grave tactical error by sitting on the patio. We could see the waitresses and their trays circulating in the near distance, always  picked clean before making it to our area, no matter how much we pleaded with the servers to show us a little love on the next round. So, in an act of “if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em,”  I got up and walked into the kitchen myself and grabbed a crab cake slider off a platter held by Mr. Tesar himself. I’m not proud of myself, but it was the only way I was going to get my hands on one.

John Tesar and his tasty (albeit messy) crab cake slider, a mini version of the future crab cake burger. (Photos by Desirée Espada.)

Cons: The crab cake was a little unwieldy in slider form and the mini-bun was toasted to the point of crumbling.

Pros: The part that made it into my mouth was darn tasty, even though I ended up wearing most of it.

Trust him; it's tasty. (Photo by Desirée Espada.)

Back outside on the patio, trays of wine and beer (the server had no idea what the wines were; the beer was Fireman’s No. 4), kept a-comin’. As we waited for a nibble, the most stylish of our group shared that she was initially turned away at the door by the 20-something hostess because she clearly “wasn’t industry.” Eh? True, she wasn’t wearing a pink fedora or a snakeskin jacket (both nearby), but she was far more relevant to the operation than many people there. (Sorry, I can divulge no more.) Still mulling over this culling process.

Finally, at the 60 minute mark, a server came by with the remains of a tray of gherkin-topped cheeseburger sliders. We snapped up them, as well as the entire accompanying container of fries, which were satisfyingly salty.

Mini bacon cheeseburgers. (Photo by Desirée Espada.)

Before heading home, we took a turn through the restaurant’s interior. A couple examples of Lucy Billingsley’s (John Tesar’s partner in the project) collection of gi-normous clocks from around the world hang above the bar and in the room housing the chef’s table. Side note: The private chef’s room was, by far, my favorite space with its modernist chandelier, slab table (also from Billingsley’s personal collection), and Tesar’s signature punchbowls.

Chef's table (left); Sonhui Pak and Kevin Gray (right). (Photos by Desirée Espada.)

But like I said, anything beyond observations at this point would be unfair. I’ll reserve judgment until I can order (and receive) full-size food off the menu next week. Good thing it’s so close to the office. I envision lunches around the patio fire pits. In the meantime, here are some more pics of last night’s show, party, preview:

The Commissary at the foot of One Arts (left); Greger Nilzen and Lesley Mutschink. (Photos by Desirée Espada.)

From left: L to R - Christine Ganaden, Toki Uchiyama, Pauline Lai, Vi Nguyen, Christina Rattanavong, and Caly Ngo. Mystery woman. (Photos by Desirée Espada.)

Tete-a-tete (left); DJ JT Donaldson. (Photos by Desirée Espada.)

Tesar in the hot zone. (Photo by Desirée Espada.)

Malai Kitchen patio (left), Vang Vieng cocktail. (Photos by Desirée Espada.)

The set-up: As a culture, we seem to enjoy watching people fail far more than we like to see them succeed. In fact, in my line of work, it’s harder to really like something than it is to dislike or even revile it. The truth is that readers don’t trust a rave unless there’s a catch. Lucky for me, I have a lot of the former and enough of the latter for even the cynics to know I’m telling the truth.

A good number of people I’ve talked to have avoided Malai Kitchen in West Village because of some lingering association with the space’s former tenant, Tom Tom Noodle. Not having to battle against this particular preconception, I visited twice in the last week, once for dinner and once for cocktails.

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Owners Yasmin and Braden Wages are both graduates of Cornell University’s School of Hospitality Management. Yasmin cut her teeth as the former assistant GM at Park; Braden managed R+D Kitchen. Executive chef Keith Cedotal (whom the two knew from his stint as sous chef at Park) was brought in to collaborate on a Thai-Vietnamese fusion menu that touts low sodium, unexpected combinations, and from-scratch bases.

Shaved cucumber salad. (Photo by Desirée Espada.)

On the menu: The cocktail lineup, designed by Jason Kosmas and reasonably priced at $5 during happy hour (5 to 7 pm daily), contains numerous highlights. The frozen Vietnamese limeade (green-tea vodka, lime, palm sugar, and Thai basil), vang vieng (spiced Thai rum, ginger beer, lime, and green papaya), and ginger bird margarita (tequila, lime, agave, muddled ginger, and Thai chilis) all contain the winning convergence of freshness, bright flavors, and an unexpected red herring (basil, papaya, and chilis, respectively). The lemongrass fizz (Ketel Citron, St. Germain, lemongrass syrup, sparkling wine) succeeded by the fact that the flavors changed and improved as it warmed. The low point on the cocktail menu came from the cucumber cream. While the Hendricks Gin, coconut milk, Thai basil, and bitters may appeal on a gastronomic level, the combination had a top note that none of us actually liked and one of our group likened to canned meat.

Tom Kha Gai. (Photo by Desirée Espada.)

Luckily, that was only one low note in a solid panel of contenders. The appetizer and entrée menu left us astonished, most specifically with the drunken noodles, a generous bowl of freshly made flat noodles, spicy chopped tenderloin, bell peppers, and Thai basil ($13); tom kha gai/Thai coconut soup thick with chicken breast, galangal, Texas organic shiitake mushrooms, scallions, and flavorful cherry tomatoes ($6/$11); and a cucumber salad that was so thinly shaved and expertly marinated in chilis, vinegar, and sugar that more than one person suggested making a meal of it.

Drunken noodles made with house made noodles. (Photo by Desirée Espada.)

In the entrée lineup, the iron pot chicken curry, a from-scratch, low-sodium green curry with diced chicken breast, golf ball-size apple eggplant, and carrots over jasmine rice ($15) is worth the trip if only for the lesson that a solid, flavorful curry need not rely on sodium to carry the flavor. But the steamed Chilean sea bass with baby bok choy, chili lime broth, and fresh, pliant rice noodles ($22) is what’s keeping me awake at night. The fish was not just moist; it was buttery, juicy, and seductively silky.

For dessert, you are a fool if you don’t order the interactive mango sticky rice smash, a layered combination of sticky rice, sweet coconut custard, diced ripe mango, and—wait for it—a rice crispy treat disc ($7), all of which is meant to be vigorously broken apart  and mixed with a spoon. The dessert was as luxurious on the tongue as it was amusing to eat.

Executive chef Keith Cedotal (left), steamed sea bass (right). (Photo by Desirée Espada.)

Who was there: As it was Uptown, I’d imagine the usual suspects, but to be fair I have no idea who else was there. I was so focused on my plate that I took little notice of anyone else in the room. While it may not seem so at first, this in itself is the ultimate compliment.

Rattan lighting and cozy booths (left) are the perfect spot to tuck into the mango sticky rice dessert (right). (Photos by Desirée Espada.)

Where to sit: The patio, by all means. Apart from great people watching, the outdoor frontage is partially shaded, making it less brutal in the coming heat. If you must sit indoors, call ahead to request the large, round booth in the bar.

Price: Dinner for two, with two cocktails, three appetizers, two entrees, and one dessert ran us $107 after tip. And we tipped well considering we enjoyed the most delightful server, Ricky. For the first time ever, I actually requested him again on a return visit.

Nice details: Malai Kitchen dispenses with a bread service in favor of a small brick of sticky rice wrapped artfully in a banana leaf and served with a flavorful eggplant puree. Wash your hands because you’re eating this one with your fingers. Other highlights: crunchy bits of ginger in the ginger bird margarita; pliable, slippery, fun-to-capture fresh noodles; and cherry tomatoes exploding with more than their share of just-off-the-vine flavor.

The takeaway: Every time this old world starts a-getting me down, I need to remember that there is—at least for now—a table waiting for me at Malai Kitchen. But the place is small, and the reviews so far have been glowing, so don’t expect that table to be available without a reservation for much longer.

Click here to learn more about Malai Kitchen.