Inside The Mexican, Dallas’ mysterious new restaurant on Turtle Creek

A meandering, art-filled cafe named The Mexican opens March 11, 2022 on Turtle Creek Boulevard in the Dallas Design and style District.

The making, a huge 15,000 square toes, was at the time Don Henley’s storage facility. Soon after careful and tranquil renovation by a group of American and Mexican stakeholders, the restaurant is ready for action as a higher-finish evening meal location and cigar bar serving Northern Mexican cuisine.

The interiors have been done by Paulina Moran, a Cancun-dependent designer.

“The Mexican” is Roberto González Alcalá, a native of Monterrey, Mexico, whose father was the chairman of Mexican company Gruma. They have a dozen brands, which include tortilla business Mission Foods, headquartered in Irving. González Alcalá sees a powerful connection in between Dallas and Mexico, and not just simply because of his family’s corporation, valued at 95 billion pesos, or 4.4 billion U.S. pounds.

The thought is to “lift Monterrey, Mexico and go it to Dallas,” states Loaded Hicks, a person of 6 co-entrepreneurs. Hicks is the co-founder of Pie Faucet Pizza Workshop + Bar, which originated in the Dallas Design District. He also co-launched Tin Star Mooyah Burgers, Fries and Shakes and Ojos Locos Sports activities Cantina.

González Alcalá wants The Mexican to be “the final Mexican great-dining experience,” he says: “A quite authentic but cosmopolitan Mexican restaurant.”

That $250 cocktail

The Mexican has the likely to be a lot of matters — a day-night location, a satisfy-up for cigar aficionados, a location to celebrate with groups.

But it’ll also most likely grow to be acknowledged for its $250 cocktail, Pancho Villa. It’s one particular of the most highly-priced spirits-based beverages we’ve ever viewed in Dallas.

The Pancho Villa is a margarita made with Clase Azul Tequila Extremely, which can charge over $1,500 per bottle. That extremely-quality spirit is mixed with Grand Marnier Cuvée 1880 and lime, then garnished with citrus gold salt.

It is just a person of 12 margaritas on The Mexican’s cocktail record. Other people have prickly pear, or strawberry and basil, or cucumber — and most operate about $14 to $15 each and every.

For margarita lovers who do not want to shell out $250, there’s also a $50 marg and one more for $150.

Tequila is a topic at this restaurant, not only on the cocktail menu but also in the style and design. The again of the restaurant has a wall of 300 bottles, backlit and on exhibit. A freestanding desk around it, which they connect with “the tequila desk,” will be a place for fanatics to sample spirits.

Tastings will be led by Leonardo Alejandro Vargas, Dallas’ only tequila sommelier.

The foodstuff and the watch

“We often imagined people in Dallas would enjoy our meals,” González Alcalá says of his indigenous Monterrey. The Mexican is a meat-targeted cafe, and grilled foodstuff is a massive component of the restaurant’s identity.

An aguachile appetizer merges Mexican flavors with U.S. beef: It’s American Wagyu with avocado, radish, truffle oil and cilantro. Other menu items involve zingy seabass ceviche with pineapple and a kick of serrano rich filet and bone marrow tacos and a selection of grilled steaks, ranging in cost from $47 for a New York strip served with roja habanero sauce to $135 for a 35-ounce shareable Tomahawk rib-eye.

The kitchen area is run by government chef Christopher Tunnel, who was most not long ago the executive chef for North Italia in Uptown Dallas. His head chef, Rodrigo Lomeli, moved to Dallas from Monterrey, Mexico.

Moran’s structure is luscious but refined. In a tour, she states the most special private place is a 10-particular person table called Don Roberto’s Room, named for González Alcalá father.

In the women’s restroom, Moran has created “a minor runway” down the middle of the place, the place ladies can choose photos in front of the flooring-to-ceiling mirrors or sit inside and sip a glass of glowing wine. In the cigar bar, regulars can retail store their cigars or tequila on website.

The cafe feels as even though it’s waiting to be identified, not only as it sits in the shadow of the Virgin Lodge but also after you are within. The bar leads into a velvet-seated eating space, then into a lounge, then out on to a curvy patio that seems at Turtle Creek.

Moran appears to be up at downtown Dallas’ properties in the distance, then back at The Mexican.

“This is the new Mexico,” she suggests.

The Mexican is at 1401 Turtle Creek Blvd., Dallas. It is predicted to open March 11, 2022. Evening meal only on weekdays, brunch and meal on weekends.

Correction on March 8, 2022: An before model of this story cited Gruma’s valuation in pounds alternatively of pesos. In accordance to Yahoo Finance, the enterprise is valued at 95 billion pesos, or 4.4 billion U.S. bucks.

For far more food information, adhere to Sarah Blaskovich on Twitter at @sblaskovich.