RGB = Resto Gastro Bistro

Shared Patios at Trinity Groves Overlooking Big D

The Trinity Groves development across the new Calatrava bridge in the former slum off Singleton Boulevard in Dallas is urban redevelopment with the noblest of intentions. Although at heart I am a preservationist, scraping off the detritus of a century of blighted landscape and replacing it with a warehouse enclave re-purposed as a restaurant incubator district is a pretty cool idea.  Phil Romano, the restaurant concept genius behind Macaroni Grill, Fuddruckers, Eatzi's and  numerous other brands where you've spent money for most of your life, is the brains behind this unique endeavor--give up-and-coming restaurateurs a location and seed money to develop their concepts, and then share in their success if they are a hit. Their are nine and counting new restaurants in this newly created dining destination, with another ten or so in the works. It's fun and funky and creative and progressive.  I love it.

Last Saturday we ventured across the bridge and stopped in to say hi to Jonn Baudoin, owner of Driftwood in Bishop Arts, and now Casa Rubia In Trinity Groves.  He's a former colleague who has done well for himself by opening two four-star restaurants in as many years.  I couldn't get reservations at his Spanish tapas temple before 10:00, so we went for a preprandial drink.  The place was swarming with happy hipsters, loving couples and large gatherings of friends and families.  I mentioned to him that we would have eaten there if I could have made an earlier reservation and he gave me his business card and said he'd get me in next time.  I felt like I had just scored a Willy Wonka golden ticket and I have every intention of taking him up on his kind offer.

Yay Organ Meat

Next we ambled down to Resto Gastro Bistro, which, although awkward sounding, turned out to be really delicious.  It was a little less boisterous than Casa Rubia, discounting the two shrilly chattering magpies seated next to us who received a fair amount of stink-eye from us which they either ignored or were oblivious to.  I finally asked them, very politely, to kindly shut up and they shrieked "no" and continued blathering about Kim Kardashian and their best friends' bad habits and how they were both like totally stuffed after sharing one tiny appetizer, which was a lettuce wrap. It was such endless drivel at an astonishing speed and high volume that I eventually had to stab them.  The world is now a much quieter place.  The restaurant manager thanked me and several customers high-fived me and offered me money, which I humbly refused as doing my civic duty is a responsibility I embrace with gusto.

Pretty Bar Balls

We started with an ambitious charcuterie platter that boasted assorted cured meats, cheeses and fruit on a big Steak and Ale type cutting board. (Remember that?)  It looked somewhat daunting at first but we managed to polish it all off except for a tiny dollop of whole grain mustard.  Next came the entrees:  mine was a spectacular stack of seared Ahi Tuna and red and yellow tomatoes with a pineapple hoisin sauce. Yum.  The sushi grade ahi was blood red in the middle and charred black on the outside, precisely how I like it. D's plate was called Twisted Chicken Piccata, which I guess was because they had wrapped it around a skewer to make a poultry curlicue, and it came with grilled corn, bacon, fava beans Clarice, tomato confit scallions and some foreign looking mushrooms. His plate was so clean at the end they didn't even have to wash it before plating it up for the next guest.  But I'm sure they did.

There are so many dining options in Trinity Groves and I can't wait to go back to try the new permanent pop up restaurant Kitchen LTO (Limited Time Offer) which changes chefs, menu, concept and decor every four months. Sort of seems like a high wire act since most restaurants start really finding their groove about three or four months in.  There's is also a fish place called Amberjacks, a Moroccan bistro named SOUK, a modern Chinese cafe, a barbecue joint and a hot dog emporium.  Plus a craft beer place called LUCK and some other places I forgot, and many more to come.  Like a phoenix rising from the ashes, Trinity Groves has ascended from a pile of rubbish and syringes and become the newest shiny strand of pearls in the Dallas dining scene's bold new firmament.