By Eric Griffey
Photography by Brooks Burris
A car accident was not how Bailey Batts, Chris Jordan, Kristin Peaks Thomas and Jywon Young intended to announce their new restaurant concept.
Three days after the owners of soon-to-open Seared Steak + Cocktails signed a lease to their White Settlement Road space — previously occupied by Pearl Snap Kolaches — the driver of a Dodge Challenger careened off the road and crashed through the storefront. The car’s explosion made local news, and reporters lined the scene for hours filming live shots.
After enduring a steady maelstrom of insurance claims, setbacks and repairs — on top of the standard obstacle course every restaurateur knows by heart — a second Dodge Challenger, nearly identical to the first, found its way through Seared’s drywall only a few months after the first.
“We always joke that we don’t have a drive-thru,” Thomas said.
Assuming the dining room remains free of high-velocity muscle cars, Seared’s unique semi prix fixe steakhouse concept will open its doors in early spring. The ownership quartet promises an upscale, unpretentious, classic steakhouse atmosphere where everyone will feel comfortable.
Seared Steak + Cocktails’ name could almost double as its menu. Diners will choose from a trio of cuts: New York strip, filet or tomahawk (designed for sharing), accompanied by unlimited French fries. Chef Joshua Donovan, who recently helmed critically lauded Heirloom FW at Archie’s Gardenland, will also offer family-style sides, high-end desserts and a weekly rotation of seasonal dishes for non-meat eaters. The weekend brunch menu will feature a wider variety and include a decadent burger with fried eggs, omelets, chicken-fried classics and, obviously, steak and eggs.
Cocktails will play a prominent role in the dining experience. Young, whose background includes mixology, is preparing a menu of Old Fashioned and martini flights as a part of his thoughtfully curated cocktail program.
The idea for Seared was inspired by a trip to a TikTok-famous eatery in Midtown Manhattan, Skirt Steak, where diners enjoy only the titular cut of beef and a never-ending supply of crispy fries. Jordan became a frequent guest during trips to the city.
“When I pitched it to them, I said, ‘I want to do this concept, but I want to make it ours — something a little different, a bit more upscale,’” Jordan said. “They loved the concept and the idea behind it. They really got behind it and felt that, put together as a team, it was something we could accomplish.”
The foursome behind Seared all boast considerable experience in the hospitality industry.
Jordan, a restaurant business lifer, and Thomas, whose background is marketing and public relations, opened and own the Fort Worth and Richardson locations of Mad Hatter Neighborhood Pub. They hired both Batts and Young as bartenders, and the two eventually grew into leadership roles. All four created and own The Rabbit Hole Pub, a few blocks from Seared, in the White Settlement Road space that housed VIP Lounge.
For Batts, Thomas, Jordan and Young, Seared represents an elevated extension of the friendly, relaxed, neighborhood atmosphere of their bar concepts.
“We want to keep a strong neighborhood feel,” Jordan said. “You don’t have to come in wearing a button-up if you don’t want to — you can show up in a T-shirt and a nice pair of jeans and feel right at home.”
“What we’re really offering is that balance: a place that feels high-end in terms of the experience, the service and what you’re getting, while still being comfortable and welcoming,” he continued.
The team kept part of the first Challenger that crashed through its façade and plans to incorporate the twisted piece of metal into the décor. Despite the apparent demand, the owners insist they have no plans to add a drive-thru.