13 January 30 - February 5, 2025 dallasobserver.com DALLAS OBSERVER Classified | MusiC | dish | Culture | unfair Park | Contents tions. The mural is a full-circle moment, both for the artist and new coffee shop own- ers. Inside are a couple of seats soaking up all the natural light, and then a few tables lining the walls. They do delivery orders and walk- ins simultaneously. So even when it’s busy, there was always a seat available. The service here is a bit on the slower side, but not in a negligent kind of way. It is more like a ‘it’s a busy spot and only two people are making all the drinks and food’ kind of way. The menu has its roots in New York with a commitment to organic coffee beans, vitamin B3 shots and the use of rose water in certain drinks. There’s even a scratch-made Spaghetti Western sand- wich with spicy capicola, scrambled egg, roasted tomato, mozzarella, Calabrian pepper sauce and basil chimichurri on a toasted ciabatta roll. All breakfast sandwiches are made in- house. They also offer lunch paninis and cold sandwiches with cross-cultural combina- tions like the K-Pop Cuban, made with apple- wood smoked ham, black olive pesto, kimchi pickles, wasabi mayo and provolone cheese. While Killer Joe makes the sand- wiches, they let Shug’s handle the bagels. You can get a bagel (plain, everything or cinnamon raisin) and schmear (plain, scallion or vegan), or make it into a break- fast sandwich with your choice of protein and additions. Fully prepared for the caffeine buzz, we grabbed two drinks and a bite to eat: Bullet- proof drip coffee, an orange blossom matcha spritz and a steak and eggs breakfast sand- wich to round off the morning. Spritz-style coffee drinks are slowly mak- ing their way to menus around the city, but they’re still uncommon, which is why we picked one up. If a La Croix was made right, this is what it would taste like. It’s refresh- ing, slightly fruity with a little zing from the club soda. The Bulletproof coffee is good enough to convert anyone to drinking straight black coffee. They make theirs with a double shot of aerated organic espresso, MCT oil and raw cacao powder. The blend is not acidic or bitter at all and goes down smoothly. We added a dollop of housemade vanilla whipped cream for half a buck. It was worth it, despite the drink pushing $8. The steak and egg sandwich is made with love. Freshly toasted ciabatta is stuffed with all the goods: melted provolone, smoked on- ion jam, basil chimichurri, steak and scram- bled egg. Empire Baking Co. in Inwood Village supplies the ciabattas for the sandwiches. Reeves Family Farm in Princeton brings in the fruits and vegetables and 4DWN brings the microgreens. Despite being new, Killer Joe is already integrated into supporting other local businesses. They’ve got a unique menu going, the coffee is great and they’re luring in more regulars with the Shug’s collab. No more waiting in that line for a bagel on a Saturday morning. You know a spot. Killer Joe Coffee + Food, 108 N. Fitzhugh Ave. Monday – Thursday, 7 a.m. – 3 p.m.; Fri- day, 7 a.m. –5 p.m.; Saturday – Sunday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. ▼ DRINKING OLD NEW SPOT WE HAVE A FAVORITE NEW JAZZ BAR. BY AAREN PRODY F rom the mid-’50s through the late ‘90s, multi-level jazz club Strictly Tabu was the hot spot for stiff drinks and swanky tunes. It was the oldest jazz club in Dallas until it closed and the space col- lected dust for over a decade. Strictly Tabu’s legacy was left to former regulars’ word of mouth. Now, they’re all re- turning to the little space on Lomo Alto Drive that is now Bacari Tabu, a subtle revi- talization of the previous hangout. The vision was brought to life by Julian Barsotti, a now Michelin-nodded chef be- hind Barsotti’s, Nonna and Fachini. Although it’s not confirmed by anyone, at all, we believe the location of this club inspired the name. What feels like a movie-worthy New York-style jazz club is next to a dry cleaner and across the street from Whole Foods? That’s actually taboo. And bacari means small wine bar. It’s all perfect. A neon sign out front tells you that you’ve made it to the right place. Open the door, pass the velvet drapes and take in the scene. The interior is decked out in a mix of loud and wild patterns like floral flamingo wall- paper and a granite-top bar lined with ve- lour printed seats. The layout travels longways so every ta- ble has an intimate view of the stage, and if you want to sit at a table, you most definitely need a reservation. However, the bar is re- served for walk-ins in case you strike out. While Bacari Tabu is a revival of its pre- decessor, Barsotti insisted that the club be known for its food before its jazz. A hefty goal for some, but not difficult to execute as the club shares the same kitchen and menu as Nonna next door, one of Michelin’s Bib Gourmand selections. Venetian-style tapas make up roughly half of the menu, but there are also pizzas and a variety of house-made pasta dishes. Do you revel in nostalgia with pizza, what Strictly Tabu was known for? The fresh pasta made in-house? Or the selections from the yakitori grill — the one chef Teiichi Sakurai bought in Japan for chef Barsotti? For us, the choice was made simple. Nonna’s menu is on a near-constant rota- tion except for two menu items: The white clam pizza and the Maine lobster ravioli. Both have been parked on the menu for more than 15 years. We ordered both. All the pasta dishes are served as a mid- course, and if you want the full portion, it’s an extra $9. For the first time in our lives, we’re describing a bowl of ravioli as light. They’re all little pillows of fresh pasta filled with tender and mild crab. The sauce was its own force of nature and it’s not often you’re spooning for sauce as much as the pasta itself. The white clam pizza is not what you’d expect. It’s better. It’s a traditional cheese pizza but with a clam chowder-like base. Barsotti steams clams with sweet onions, wine and olive oil, removes them as they pop, and fattens the liquid with some cream. Once you’ve or- dered the pizza, the chefs add back in the chopped clams, fresh herbs, a pinch of red pepper and pecorino cheese. We’re huge fans of clam chowder, so we loved it, but even if you don’t like the “from the sea” flavor, it’s an essence more than it is one of the dominant flavors. If you order the ravioli with the pizza, the edges of the crust are perfect for dipping into the ravioli broth. Only a small but respectable array of classic cocktails is served. The rest of the real estate goes to the wine list. A glass of Chianti Classico is a must, and if your wallet can bear it, so is a bottle of a Super Tuscan. Bacari Tabu offers live jazz music start- ing at 7 p.m. on Thursdays and 9 p.m. on Fri- day and Saturday nights. Our visit had a trio getting everyone swaying to covers of mod- ern and classic hits from Amy Winehouse to Billie Eilish, but their roster is always circu- lating with a variety of jazz talent. Get a ta- ble, or gather with the regulars at the bar. Bacari Tabu, 4115 Lomo Alto Drive. Tues- day – Thursday, 5:30–11:30 p.m.; Friday, 5:30 p.m. – midnight; Saturday, 5:30 a.m. – 1:30 a.m.; Sunday – Monday, closed. Aaren Prody We know it’s hard to believe, but we were not on the set of La La Land.
