The attempted reinvention of Victory Park continues. A week after the opening of Tracy and Kent Rathbun's Imoto come details of a new restaurant opening in the neighborhood June 28: Billy Can Can.
"The 4,800-square foot, 145-seat restaurant — a vibrant interpretation of a high-end late-19th-century Dallas dining saloon — marks [Tristan] Simon’s return to the dining scene after a four-year hiatus," according to a press release. "The focal point of the space — designed by Dallas designer Kate Murphy — is a 40-foot, 22-seat pecan-wood bar with a dramatic back bar that was hand-made on-site from mahogany, red oak, pecan, maple and pine."
The new restaurant comes from Rebees, the developer run by Simon, a Dallas restaurateur.
As for the menu, expect "modern Texan" dishes from executive chef Matt Ford (Americano, CBD Provisions).
"Executive chef Ford has created a modern Texas menu that spotlights the finest Texas-raised beef, Texas game, Gulf seafood and top-quality locally grown produce (some of which comes from Ford’s personal garden)," according to the release. "In keeping with the history of the American saloon, some French influence will be felt throughout the menu and wine list. And with Texas history front-of-mind, Mexican culinary culture informs the offerings as well. To Ford, modern Texas cuisine draws on 'a melting pot of different cultures and flavors, with Creole, Cajun, Southern, German, Czech, Midwestern and clearly Tex-Mex influences. We take those flavors and create something unique, something that offers a sense of discovery when you see the plates and taste the food.'"
Expect dishes like Texas venison tartare, hot fried quail and a wagyu tomahawk for two. At the bar, you'll find a lot of whiskey, tequila and mezcal, along with local craft beer and "saloon-made sarsparilla."
Rebees has developed a lengthy persona for the imaginary Billy Can Can, a "gun-slinger" and "avid Instagrammer":
"The fictive proprietor of the world’s most exquisite saloon — Billy Can Can himself — is a somewhat mysterious, elusive figure who’s a brooding bon vivant, an artful sensationalist, a master of ceremonies and a generous host. He’s also a world traveler, a gun-slinger, a card sharp, a hunter of relics and an avid Instagrammer – in other words, an elegant, cultured bad-ass. He’s portrayed, in outsized silhouette, in an art piece (designed by Thunderwing, crafted from old-grown clear heart cedar) on the restaurant’s facade. “Billy Can Can lives to host, and the people of Dallas will know his generous spirit soon,” says Simon. “He’s particularly excited to call Victory home, which is about to wake up in grand fashion.”
Billy Can Can, 2386 Victory Park Lane
