Hash Over

Clive and Stuart's closes
After weeks of rumors that its demise was coming, Clive & Stuart's Island Cuisine on McKinney Avenue gave up the ghost, closing down July 12. One inside source says trucks pulled up to the restaurant at 2 a.m. following dinner Saturday night to load supplies and fixtures as management told employees it was all over. Tom McClendon, who was partner in the venue with Clive Whent and Stuart Gray, says Clive & Stuart's never really took off despite positive reviews. Sources say the partners are looking to launch another metroplex restaurant, though McClendon wouldn't confirm any details. In related news, Clive & Stuart's chef Mario Melgar has been named chef of Ocean Grill, replacing ousted chef Willem De Froy. The restaurant will have a grand reopening the first weekend in August, when its name will change to Ocean Grill & Jazz.

Brazil on Belt Line
Restaurateur Salim Asrawi is hoping to cash in on the rodizio craze sweeping major U.S. cities. After taking over the building that was once home to Coco Pazzo Cafe on Belt Line Road in Addison, Asrawi announced that he will open Texas de Brazil in September featuring Brazilian rodizio service--that's grilled, skewered meats served from table to table continuously. The concept is almost identical to Fogo De Chao, the Brazilian churrascaria, or grill house, that opened just down the street last summer. "We want to do the P.F. Chang's of steakhouses," says Asrawi, a former partner in Cabaret Royale Restaurant & Bar. "P.F. Chang's is a beautiful place, and people go for the atmosphere." Asrawi says the decor will feature granite, marble, and wood, with a slick bar and an open kitchen showcasing the special Brazilian rotisserie grills.

Hash seasonings
Slated to reopen July 6 after closing for renovations and a modest menu makeover, Tarazza Restaurant & Bar has been shuttered for good. Owner Mary Cloutier and husband Costa Arabatzis, who also operate Ziziki's Restaurant & Bar, sought to transform the Travis Walk restaurant from an upscale venue into a more casual spot with lunch service. Sources say sluggish business prompted the decision...Blue Mesa Restaurants Inc. and Mattito's restaurants announced last week that their venues were recently ranked among the top 20 tequila bars in the United States by Spirits & Cocktails magazine. Unfortunately, the upstart Dallas-based mag folded within days of the announcement. The magazine was published by Lexington Media Corp. and Presidio Media Group, publisher of The Met and Texas Business.

--Mark Stuertz