Revolver Taco Lounge

Fort Worth, Take 3 Celebrating the 10-year anniversary of his first Revolver Taco Lounge in Fort Worth, Regino Rojas comes full circle. He opened the original location on West 7th Street in the summer of 2011, moved to Forest Park Boulevard in 2016 and decamped to Dallas’ Deep Ellum in 2017, but longtime fans in Cowtown had not stopped missing his exceptional tacos stuffed with octopus, duck or calabacitas. Two of those ardent patrons are Ed and Sasha Bass, who persuaded Rojas to take over an empty space in Sundance Square, which they own and manage. Opening this month in the space formerly occupied by a Taco Diner, this edition reprises Rojas’ popular taco menu and some of the tasting menu items from at his Deep Ellum shop, which will continue operating. With a second concept called Purepecha within the Dallas Revolver, Rojas offers an elevated experience on a prix fixe menu of carne asada, pheasant with mole and whole fish, for example, with wine or cocktail pairings. Purepecha landed him on the James Beard Awards’ best chef semifinalist list in 2018, 2019 and 2020. The two concepts will merge within one dining room at the Sundance location, now filled with live greenery and still offering a pleasant view of the fountains and the plaza, where there’s an option for outdoor seating. Rojas welcomes being in the Sundance spotlight as the downtown development tries to regroup from retail and restaurant closings these past 12 months. He promises a distinguished cocktail program and superior service, the latter an element he admits was missing in the early Revolver years. “It feels different this time. Now I know what I’m doing.” Revolver is scheduled to open the first part of June, initially for dinner; lunch service will follow.

Sundance Square, 156 W. 4th St., Fort Worth, revolvertacolounge.com

Hello, neighbors: Roy Pope Grocery gets a warm welcome

The revamped Fort Worth grocer, which opened in May, is drawing crowds thanks to a new covered patio, bigger signage and welcoming entrance on Merrick Street. The patio is a big hit with coffee drinkers in the morning, wine drinkers in the evening and dog walkers any time. Inside, the small seating area, brightened up by new windows, is attracting customers who want to enjoy their breakfast burrito and coffee before dashing off to work. At lunch, the hefty meatball sandwich on housemade focaccia has been a consistent winner; we’re hoping prime rib night becomes a thing, too. Watch for updates at facebook.com/roypopegrocery.

2300 Merrick St., Fort Worth, 817-732-2863, roypopegrocery.com

Jane: Coffee, wine and more

Jane, a coffee and wine bar, is replacing the former Protein Fit Kitchen in Southlake’s Park Village shopping center. Locally owned by Mo and Nosheen Noorali, the coffee shop portion of the restaurant is expected to be open this spring, with the full wine bar, which also will include craft cocktails to follow. Look for a seasonal, rotating menu focusing on cheese and charcuterie boards, small bites, salads and more. The coffee will be provided by Philadelphia roaster La Colombe. The name comes from Jane Street, which is in New York City’s West Village and is where Mo Noorali once lived. Look for an inviting interior, plus patio seating. Project design is by JonesBaker of Dallas, who also updated the Park Village Malai Kitchen.

Park Village, 1151 E. Southlake Blvd., meetatjane.com

Congratulations to Breadhaus in Grapevine, which marks its 25th anniversary this year. Breads and sweets, all crafted by owners Mark and Petra Lively from organic flours, grains and seeds, have a big following among health-conscious customers who search out authentic sourdough-based breads. Their hearth breads are free of dairy and eggs, with no added sugars or fats. But you’ll also find pies, European-style cookies, brownies and more to satisfy your sweet tooth.

700 W. Dallas Road, Grapevine, 817-488-5223, breadhaus.com

A taste of Mexico

When Adrian Burciaga organized his first guest-chef dinner at Café Modern in 2013, he tapped into the resources closest to his heart. A native of Saltillo, a city near Monterrey in northern Mexico, Burciaga wanted to spotlight the best-kept secrets in flavors and talents from home in his then-new position as general manager of the restaurant inside the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth. Today, eight years and a couple of jobs later, Burciaga revisits his past, reconnecting with chef-restaurateur-cookbook author Juan Ramón Cárdenas — the same Mexican cuisine superstar he first showcased back at the Modern. The two team up now to bring a version of Cárdenas’ Don Artemio restaurant to Fort Worth, just a few blocks away from the museum Burciaga called home. Taking over the former pizza space next door to World of Beer on West 7th Street, the restaurant named for the late Mexican author Artemio de Valle-Arizpe will bring regional Mexican dishes such as cabrito and chiles en nogada and an elaborate cocktail program to the Cultural District environs. Fort Worth architect Javier Lucio of RPGA Design Group is working with the partnership’s Mexican designer to revamp the space with lots of Saltillo tile, clay bricks, concrete, wood and Mexican fabrics; there also will be a gorgeous wine room called La Cava El Desierto and a patio rich in lush greenery. A local chef will be named soon. Watch for a late fall opening.

3268 W. 7th St. and Arch Adams Lane, Fort Worth

Chef switches from Mariachi to Milagro

Milagro translates as miracle, which is precisely what chef and restaurateur Jesus Carmona is praying for from his new Tijuana-influenced taco spot opening this month in the Trinity Groves neighborhood west of downtown Dallas. Success here would mark a second milagro for Carmona; a visit from Guy Fieri and a 2018 profile on his Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives TV show skyrocketed business at his first taco shop, Tacos Mariachi. That one was located down the street from Milagro but closed last year in the tumult of the pandemic. Carmona says Milagro’s menu is broader than Mariachi’s; he’s added a burger, three ceviches and fillings such as mahi mahi birria and slow-cooked pork belly to a lineup of more traditional Baja California tacos.

440 Singleton Blvd., Dallas, milagrotacocantina.combreadhaus.com

New chef reimagines Ellie’s Restaurant & Lounge

Located inside Hall Arts Hotel in the Dallas Arts District, newly installed executive chef Dan Landsberg (formerly of Hotel ZaZa’s Dragonfly) is granted ample room to riff on fresh, seasonal ingredients and bold flavors. A compact dining room with a broad patio outdoors is the backdrop for Landsberg’s Madras & Smoked Almond Chicken Salad, Roasted Sea Scallops with carrot risotto, and Harissa-Marinated Lamb served with sweet potato puree and heirloom tomato sumac. Weekend brunch introduces housemade yogurt, Vanilla Bean Crepes, Blue Crab Eggs Benedict and Salsa Verde Migas to the mix.

1717 Leonard St., Dallas, 972-629-0924, elliesdallas.com

Meridian helps put the spotlight back on The Village

With its 2020 opening derailed by the pandemic, this elegant addition to The Village neighborhood is now open for business. In the 1970s, The Village was the epicenter of apartment-dwelling singles. Now refurbished and repositioned to again attract the of-the-moment crowd, Meridian and chef Junior Borges are the tractor beam of The Village. The food — fire-seared Wagyu Picanha, Whole Grilled Octopus with Green Garlic & Chili Vinaigrette and Chilled Ajo Blanco Soup — showcases Borges’ Brazilian heritage and skillful technique, elements that were less evident when he worked for others. But Meridian is not just about Brazil. There are salads and seafood, plus a half-dozen pastas on the taut one-page dinner menu, all carefully calibrated for patio season on breezy outdoor tables or inside the air-conditioned dining room.

5650 Village Glen Drive, Dallas, thevillagedallas.com/meridian