The oft-overlooked Cedars district south of Downtown is known for some of the city's best cocktails and beer lists, but there isn't really much in terms of food options for people who live and drink in the area. You can find fancy snacks at Cedars Social and bar fare at Full Circle Tavern, but Absinthe Lounge, a much-beloved bar in the same 'hood, wants to expand the area's dining options beyond just 10 pm.
As Eater Dallas reported yesterday, Absinthe Lounge has launched a Kickstarter to raise $25,000 to build out a full kitchen. The Lounge is in need of a walk-in refrigerator, stoves, grills, and fryers, which will probably cost at least the $25k they're interested in raising. Absinthe Lounge's new partner Sarah Noelle Hendrix is slated to become the restaurant's new chef, with a focus on farm-to-table food in an "upscale, conversational restaurant."
The Kickstarter reads much like a business plan. The page, started by Hendrix, lays out all the reasons why a restaurant in the Cedars neighborhood would succeed. "With 90,000 people living and working in the downtown area, these potential customers would find a major draw to the lounge," writes Hendrix. "Absinthe will be a place where they can associate with colleagues and friends for a quick meeting at the end of the day."
And they may be on to something. The Cedars neighborhood is largely populated by people who have enough cash to afford those pricey lofts in South Side on Lamar, and there is plenty of post-concert traffic in the area from the nearby Gilley's complex. And, with a huge police station just up the street, it makes real sense that drinkers might want something more substantial than salty snacks to soak up all that booze.
As of today, Absinthe Lounge's Kickstarter campaign has raised less than $300. If you're a fan of the Lounge, there are some pretty cool perks that come along with donating to their cause. For a paltry $5 donation, you can have your name integrated into a piece of art created by a local artist for the new restaurant. If you've got $50 to spare, you can snag a gift basket with snacks handmade by Chef Sarah. Should you have $10,000 lying around, you could be hosting your own private Super Bowl party at Absinthe Lounge for 25 people.
We'll keep you posted on whether or not the soon-to-be-restaurant meets their Kickstarter goal. If they do, what Chef Sarah Hendrix has up her sleeve sounds entirely promising, especially in the Cedars neighborhood.
