Big Death

He also predicts wine bars will proliferate modestly in the next few years as wine consciousness rises. The new Sonoma Grill & Wine Bar in Flower Mound, and Mercy, a wine bar set to open in late January in Addison, are but the latest examples. But success will go to those wine bars that actually offer service and expand wine knowledge by offering food-pairing suggestions, flights that introduce new wines and easily digestible background information instead of recycling trends.

Whatever complexion the industry takes on, it will survive and may very well thrive next year, just as it did to some extent in 2002. "If we had this economic downturn without the uncertainty in the world, there'd be fewer people going out," Mabel says. "But there's more of an emphasis now on being with people you care about, and restaurants will benefit from that."

Stephen Karlisch

The big Bamboo Bamboo was looking kinda small and withered at year's end.

Location Info

Map

Abacus

4511 McKinney Ave.
Dallas, TX 75205

Category: Restaurant > Asian Fusion

Region: Park Cities

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3 user reviews	Write A Review
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Tom Tom Noodle House

3699 McKinney Ave.
Dallas, TX 75204

Category: Restaurant > Japanese

Region: Uptown & Oak Lawn

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Chow Thai Pacific Rim

3309 Dallas Parkway
Plano, TX 75093

Category: Restaurant > Asian Fusion

Region: Plano

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More About

• Voltaire
• Scott Ginsburg
• Dallas (Texas)
• Eating Out
• Wine

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"Next year is going to be tough, because we really don't know," says another industry observer. "Are we going to war? I think in Dallas, we tend to eat, drink and spend money regardless of the economy. We'll still go out."

Voltaire--the man, not the restaurant--would have had a field day in this town.