District

Modern bistro Camphor, from a pair of seasoned co-chefs, is now open in the Arts District

By Elizabeth W. Jernigan 4 months ago

Camphor

A modern bistro from two seasoned chefs is now open in the Arts District. Max Boonthanakit and Lijo George, who worked alongside one another in Bangkok at the Michelin-starred restaurant Blue by Alain Ducasse, have teamed up to open Camphor as co-executive chefs. The new 65-seat restaurant is housed in the former home of Nightshade (where Boonthanakit served as opening pastry chef) and offers South Asian flavors — such as “gunpowder” seasoning dusted on fried baby shrimp or a saffron jus with black cod and basmati rice — and bistro-leaning dishes like lobster with coral bisque, and oysters with

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Wheat Bay, Qiao Noodle House fire up Lloyd District restaurant scene

By Elizabeth W. Jernigan 6 months ago

Last October, two new restaurants opened blocks from each other in the Lloyd District, each offering regional Chinese specialties alongside popcorn chicken and fries.

Before last year, Lloyd wasn’t known as a Chinese food destination. Besides Frank’s Noodle House, a beloved hand-pulled noodle and zhajiangmian joint in a converted Northeast Broadway home, options were mostly limited to old haunts such as Chen’s Dynasty, orange chicken kiosks at the mall (the unconquerable Chicken Connection) or trips to Shandong or Chin’s Kitchen in Hollywood to the east.

Wheat Bay (1618 N.E. Sixth Ave.), which also goes by Uniquely Chengdu, is the second

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Casablanca is a Stunner in The Bishop Arts District with an Eclectic Menu

By Elizabeth W. Jernigan 8 months ago
In the 1942 pseudo-noir film, Casablanca, a nightclub owner is caught in a dangerous love triangle with his ex-lover and her husband. It’s set in the Moroccan city of (you guessed it) Casablanca. Of all the bar names in all the world, the folks from Paradiso decided to expand its culinary options with a new restaurant by the same name.
click to enlarge The outdoor lounge at Casablanca - EMAYNE

The outdoor lounge at Casablanca

EMayne

Casablanca is nestled in a newly remodeled building directly across the street from its sister restaurant, Paradiso, in the heart of Bishop Arts. From the expansive exotic patio to the

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Elephant East to Open this Fall in the Harwood District; Meet the Chef

By Elizabeth W. Jernigan 9 months ago

An adventurous new pan-Asian concept is landing in the Harwood District. Elephant East will open its doors later this fall and will be spearheaded by chef Thomas Griffin.

Hailing from Cape Cod, Griffin spent years working as a chef in Boston, Philadelphia, Atlanta and Washington. After chats with Harwood International director of operations Stan Rodrigues, he moved to Dallas last year where he was Dolce Riviera’s executive chef.


“Opportunity arose in Dallas and I wanted to jump out,” Griffin says. “I knew I wanted to come out toward the west. I believe in the food scene out

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