15 November 6 - 12, 2025 dallasobserver.com DALLAS OBSERVER Classified | MusiC | dish | Culture | unfair Park | Contents Shooting Star How did Mamani earn a Michelin star after only 50 Days? BY HANK VAUGHN O n Oct. 28, Mamani was awarded one star in the 2025 Dallas Michelin Guide, de- spite being open for only about 50 days. When D Mag- azine interviewed chef Christophe de Lellis after the ceremony, one of the chef’s com- ments was “Why?” We were thinking the same thing — or more specifically, “How?” First things first, and as a huge caveat to get that out of the way right from the start: My opinions and views on food and restau- rants don’t really mean much. I have been lucky enough to eat at several three-star Michelin spots across the country, but I also enjoy pub grub and a good hot dog, a slice of pizza or an Italian beef sandwich. I’m also a data geek to a certain extent . So the hows and whys of the awarding of Mi- chelin stars tick all my boxes, and I was ex- cited last year when the tire company decided to include Texas in its eponymous guide. The maiden Texas guide in 2024 awarded one star to one restaurant in the Dallas area: Tatsu. Several others received Bib Gourmands and recommendations in the guide. Not a bad star, for a geographic lo- cation new to Michelin, but all of us who care about eating (and stats) were waiting to see if there would be any changes when Mi- chelin announced its updates last week. The results were not really surprising for the most part, if a bit disappointing to the home team. Tatsu retained its star but did not gain a new one. All Bib and recom- mended restaurants from last year retained their statuses, and the only addition to the recommended list was Sushi Kozy. Mister Charles earned an Exceptional Cocktail Award, so cheers to them. The two biggest surprises, however, in- clude Quarter Acre and Mamani. The for- mer did retain its recommended status, but we all were hoping for more. If not a star, at least a Bib Gourmand. Lord knows chef/ owner Toby Archibald had put in the work and effort and has the talent to warrant more than recommended, but Michelin’s se- lection process is mercurial for a reason, one supposes. Mamani, on the other hand, received a one-star distinction. The Observer had great things to say about this French-Italian res- taurant headed by executive chef Chris- tophe De Lellis in August. It opened in Uptown in early September in The Quad to rave reviews. The pedigree is obviously there: stints in Vegas for De Lellis at a three- star restaurant, a Michelin-recognized bar- tender curating the cocktail menu and the Cohanim brothers (Bar Colettte, Namo). The dining seems to be fine in the truest sense of that word. ‘Consistency Is Very Important’ W hy was this a surprise, then? Well, again, Mamani opened less than a couple of months ago, and the review process probably didn’t start the day it opened or finish a day before Tues- day’s announcement, so that leaves maybe a two- or three-week window for those un- dercover Michelin Guide inspectors to do their thing. Usually, “their thing” involves multiple visits over multiple seasons and multiple meals, both lunch and dinner if both are offered. Why the multiple visits over time? Be- cause there are five criteria Michelin uses to assess the quality of a restaurant: quality of ingredients, mastery of flavor and cooking techniques, the personality of the chef de cuisine, harmony of flavors … and consis- tency between visits. That last one is important, as Michelin elaborates on its website: “Consistency is very important when awarding Michelin Stars, so we need to be sure that customers will receive the same high standard of cooking whenever they visit. Various inspectors will visit through- out the seasons: for lunch as well as for dinner, both at the weekend and during the week.” So, you see the potential issue here. How could Michelin have assessed the consis- tency of cuisine over such a small window? If a single great meal was enough for a Mi- chelin star, then North Texas would look like the Milky Way. But it doesn’t. Maybe one day we’ll join the firmament that is Chicago (19 stars) or New York (73 stars), but our area is new to the guide, and two stars isn’t really a bad beginning. However, it was always believed that one reason new areas might start slowly with Michelin awards is because of a lack of data points for consistency. The Mamani selection, coming just a scant few weeks after its opening, therefore, raises ques- tions about the importance of all the selec- tion criteria. Of course, this isn’t a science; the anony- mous Michelin inspectors do not arrive on scene with test tubes and spectrometers. There isn’t a checklist with various points attached to each, and a number arrived upon. It’s more of an art, a feeling one presumes based on those five criteria, yes, but also just years of inspecting. I’m sure certain criteria can outweigh others, too, in certain circum- stances. And that appears to be the case here. What Michelin Had to Say The Observer reached out to Michelin and asked about what appears to be a lack of measured consistency in the Mamani award, in particular, and the potential impact that could have on the integrity of the awards in general. They relayed the response below on behalf of their chief inspector for the Mi- chelin Guide North America: “Suffice to say, Chef Christophe De Lellis has had a consistent background before opening Mamani and multiple meals there proved the level of the cuisine at this new Dallas restaurant to be indicative of cuisine at the One Star level.” So there you have it, from the gourmand’s mouth. Evidently, the star power and past consistency of Chef De Lellis, along with presumably great food featuring quality in- gredients, cooking techniques, and a har- mony of flavors, was enough for them. The consistency was implied and transferred to this new endeavor. Which is interesting and does offer some clarification, but is it enough to make people like me stop scratching their heads? Doubt- ful, but it’s a start. Michelin is being parsi- monious with stars in its new Texas guide, and given that, it would seem unlikely they’d hand out a star willy-nilly with some ulterior motive or cigar smoke-filled backroom deal. And again, to be absolutely clear, I’m sure Mamani is wonderful and will be consistent over time. Let’s just hope they are just as flexible in their criteria next year, and we add a few more points of Michelin light to Dallas. Editor’s note: Michelin published a Las Ve- gas guide in 2008, but discontinued it after 2009 due to the local economy. Joël Robuchon at MGM earned three stars in both those guides. De Lellis began working at Joël Robu- chon in 2010 as a sous chef. He was the execu- tive chef there for nine years before moving to Dallas. We’re left to suppose that Michelin in- spectors have since regularly visited Las Ve- gas in a quasi-working capacity. Who wouldn’t? ▼ CLOSINGS EATEN BY THE ECONOMY BIGGEST RESTAUANT CLOSING IN OCTOBER: WE LOST 5 LOCALLY OWNED GEMS. BY AAREN PRODY These days, restaurants in Dallas are closing at an alarming rate while others are flour- ishing. We reported on 17 big-name open- ings this month. Leases are expiring, food costs are rising, and the future of some of our favorite local businesses remains uncertain. The last few months have been brutal, with closures, but luckily, October gave us a slight reprieve. An East Dallas staple known for a menu of rotating comfort food shuttered just months before its first year anniversary; a longtime tea room silently shuttered; and what was supposed to be an iconic two- week pop-up was a full-on embarrass- ment. Be Home Soon 9540 Garland Road Be Home Soon was open for just shy of a year before it closed on Oct. 25. The cre- ative restaurant with an ever-evolving menu was known for serving comfort foods beyond just the Southern variety, as Maribel Morales Mamani earns a Michelin star with dishes like Maine-sourced lobster. | CITY OF ATE | ▼ Dish >> p16
