Exiled from French

Anti-Gallic sentiments sway local eateries

Comments (0) By Mark Stuertz Thursday, Aug 18 2005

Jean-Michel Sakouhi is a little bitter. Two reasons: Scuffles with his landlord on McKinney Avenue, and the big mistake he made transforming his Le Paris Bistrot into Figaro Café to distance it from the anti-Frenchism that bubbled after the U.S. boogie to Baghdad. "People understand that food is not politics," he says. Do they? Jeroboam gently shifted its menu away from the French trench in an attempt to recover from the post 9/11 slump and even Watel's is diluting its Gallic offerings. French wine once earmarked for export to the States now fills a chain of recreational lakes in the Languedoc (hee). So Sakouhi is recasting Severine's, the bar he had next door to Figaro, as a restaurant/bar in Southlake serving continental fare and live jazz. Severine's will open in the former Southlake Classic Café space in September. Meanwhile, in the nook behind Sakouhi's defunct Figaro Café, bar workhorse Frankie Carabetta has christened his new upscale venture Tribeca Bar & Lounge, which means he may have a choice of being harassed by the lawyers of Robert De Niro (owner, Tribeca Grill) or of Fuji Heavy Industries (makers of the Subaru B9 Tribeca)--if you can trademark an NYC neighborhood, that is.

Location Info

Map

Le Paris Bistrot

2533 McKinney Ave.
Dallas, TX 75201

Category: Restaurant > French

Region: Uptown & Oak Lawn

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Bistro Watel's

6047 Lewis St.
Dallas, TX 75206

Category: Restaurant >

Region: Uptown & Oak Lawn

Severine's Wine & Martini Bistro

2523 McKinney Ave.
Dallas, TX 75201

Category: Music Venues

Region: Uptown & Oak Lawn

Kenny's Wood Fired Grill

5000 Beltline Road
Dallas, TX 75254

Category: Restaurant > New American

Region: North Dallas

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