| CITY OF ATE | ▼ Dish Lexy’s Is Camera Ready The new glamorous restaunt in Trinity Groves is a social media-ready, but how’s the food? BY LAUREN DREWES DANIELS L exy’s is a glamorous new restau- rant in Trinity Groves brought to us by the owner of the nearby Beto and Sons, Julian Rodarte, and his wife, Alexa, who is the director of marketing for the Trinity Groves entertain- ment complex. Like many other spaces in our lives now, Lexy’s was created with our Instagram feeds in mind. This glamour-shot-ready style of restaurants is trending. In a previous article, “Move Over Food,” Desiree Gutierrez wrote, “The days of luring customers with interiors drowning in heavy tapestry, somber woods and bland upholstery are long gone. Many prefer a well-thought-out concept that cre- ates not just a memorable culinary experi- ence but a picturesque one.” At Lexy’s the walls are clean and light- hued, making for ideal backdrops for selfies and videos. The lighting is bright but a touch soft — not harsh. The entry is a floral walkway that leads to a Moet vending machine that sells small bottles of Champagne for $25. Many stop to take selfies here, dancing for a loop. We went back to Lexy’s to answer an im- portant question for the hungry: What does it taste like? Dining at Lexy’s definitely makes you feel pretty. The space is uncluttered and covered in pastels (blue and pink, mostly) with floral and feather accents. But despite being picture- ready, it’s not fussy. While it has an energy, it’s not the Red Bull kind at, say, the Nick Cannon- graced Sugar Factory, or even Campo Verde in Pantego, where so much is going on you need a hot shower and a bourbon after. Perched at the U-shaped white marble bar, you’ll find an entertaining and actually relaxing experience. There are plenty of self- ies and videos being taken at times, but it’s not imposing. A mix of pop hits plays over- head, audible but not loud. We sat at the bar during both our visits. The bartenders push both drinks and food out quickly. It’s fun to watch sparkler-topped des- serts pass through the dining room; Lexy’s is definitely a new celebration destination. We started with a Pura Vida cocktail ($14) with banana-infused rum, dark rum, creme coconut and pineapple served with pebbled A hollow chocolate heart contains strawberries dipped in chocolate. Lauren Drewes Daniels ice. This is a dandy tropical drink. Too good, perhaps. This is how social media feeds easily go off the rails. Alas, we had just one. My dining partner suggested we order dessert first, explaining that you’re able to enjoy it more because you’re not stuffed. This approach matches the vibe here: Lexy’s is a dessert-first place. We set our phones to video mode to capture the cracking of the gi- ant hollow chocolate heart. Five chocolate- covered strawberries were waiting inside, but this feels like prime real estate for an en- gagement ring. #SheSaidYes Our post-dessert appetizer was a simple shrimp cocktail that was good. The shrimp were light and tender and served in a showy bowl with some dry ice hidden at the bottom. Definitely Instagramable. Use the loop filter to catch the swirling dry-ice fog. While Lexy’s is dainty, the menu is not. The restaurant describes the fare as “Local New American”: there’s a half-roasted chicken, pastas, a bone-in pork chop and steaks (the filet mignon is $35 for 8 ounces and the Tomahawk for two is $89 for 32 ounces). Salmon, red snapper and seared tuna are also options. These can all be paired with sides that are sold separately and run from $6 for fries to $10 for Lexy’s fried rice. We went with a lobster grilled cheese sand- wich ($25) that was rich and indulgent. Large chunks of lobster (tails and claws) are in every bite and encased in thick, buttery Texas toast. The fontina cheese pulled it all together but was only a background player here. As it should be. The amount of lobster was impres- sive. For sides, we ordered sauteed pea shoots ($8) that were prepared rather simply with a pinch of salt and a touch of oil. The potatoes Lexy ($8) are layers of paper-thin potatoes with an almost pastry-like flakiness. They’re served with a line of sour cream, a touch of salt and green onions for a pop of color. Sim- ple but very nice. There’s an option to have these potatoes topped with golden Kaluga caviar for an additional $12, but we passed. While at first we giggled and rolled our eyes at the Moet vending machine, by the end of dinner we found ourselves in front of it, taking selfies. Portrait mode was on, however, and the camera was out of focus, so nothing was posta- ble. #TotalBummer. Since we didn’t post it, did it really even happen? Who knows? Lexy’s, 3011 Gulden Lane, No. 114 (west end of Trinity Groves). 11 a.m. – 9 p.m. Monday – Thursday; 11 a.m. – 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday. ▼ OPENINGS AND CLOSINGS SAY HELLO AND GOODBYE NEW RESTAURANTS AND BARS CONTINUE TO OPEN AT A DECENT CLIP ACROSS NORTH TEXAS. BY DANIELLE ZACHARIAH I t’s almost fall, and the weather is starting to tease us with sometimes cool-ish tem- peratures. Starbucks has already brought back the PSL for its 19th year, which is the only harbinger of autumn many of us need. The Dallas restaurant and bar scene is not cooling off, however. Here’s our latest round-up of recent openings and closings. While this isn’t a permanent shutdown, an- other McKinney restaurant is closed for an in- definite amount of time. On Aug. 15, a fire broke out inside Rye in McKinney, located on the city’s historic downtown square. Co- owner Tanner Agar broke the news on Insta- gram, saying that there are plans to rebuild. There is another location in Dallas, but owners hope to have the original spot in McKinney up and running again. After spending 18 years on McKinney Av- enue, The Dallas Morning News reported that Jake’s Burgers is closing. No worries — there are still seven other locations. This particular parcel of land will soon be a high- rise apartment and office building. Jake’s plans to open a new place down the street and another in Addison. After serving sandwiches on Harry Hines for more than 42 years, Antoine’s Foods closed Aug. 13, as first reported by The Dallas Morning News. They were best known for serving budget-friendly subs with bright or- ange chow-chow to workers from down- town, the Dallas Market Center and the Medical District. Snowboarder turned chef Akira Back opened his eponymous restaurant in the Grandscape in The Colony. This modern Jap- anese restaurant is originally from Las Vegas and we recently joined them for brunch. Willie D’s on Henderson Avenue is a South Texas-style Icehouse that opened in the old Uno Mas spot on Sept. 9. It’s a mix of seafood (oysters) and bar food (burgers). Autonomous Brew Pub opened in The Cedars neighborhood in mid-August. Dean Weaver has been a home brewer for three decades and is ready to create a neighbor- hood joint where patrons can enjoy local beers and even a few of his own. Quarter Acre is a New Zealand- SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 12TH Energy Square Plaza • 4-7PM Unlimited Taco Samples from Dallas’ Best Taquerias ENTER TO WIN 2 VIP TICKETS >> p15 DALLASOBSERVER.COM/ FREE/TACOLANDIAVIP 1313 dallasobserver.com dallasobserver.com CLASSIFIED | MUSIC | DISH | CULTURE | UNFAIR PARK | CONTENTS | CONTENTS | UNFAIR PARK | SCHUTZE | FEATURE | NIGHT+DAY | CULTURE | MOVIES | DISH | MUSIC | CLASSIFIED | DALLAS OBSERVER DALLAS OBSERVER SEPTEMBER 22–28, 2022 MONTH XX–MONTH XX, 2014
