Birdie’s Eastside
Audio By Carbonatix
Local restaurateur Jon Alexis is keeping busy. After opening Escondido late last year and Ramble Room early this year to go with his longtime seafood stalwarts TJ’s Seafood and Mailbu Poke, he now has his sights set on another new concept in an old space.
Birdie’s Eastside (no connection to Birdie at The Exchange in downtown), set to open this winter, will be a large indoor and outdoor bar and grill in what used to be Luby’s on East Mockingbird Lane. No LuAnn Platters here, though. (Although we do think that’d be a nice homage.) More than 250 diners will be able to sit indoors, and there will be a 7,000-square-foot, tree-covered patio. Alexis is aiming for a “no-wait” option in East Dallas.
The decor will channel Marfa, which we’ve seen a bit of lately: West Texas desolation with a touch of whimsy. It’s interesting to watch these trends come and go. Rattan light fixtures and green walls with neon signs are out. Sorry, rattan light-shade people, but no worries. Your style will certainly come back around soon enough.
According to a press release, Birdie’s will be centered on a cathedral-pitched dining room with a “resort-style bar,” which we hope means there’s an all-inclusive option and you can just swim up for an endless amount of booze, all with a whatever-happens-happens nonchalance.
Always proficient in reading the room, as well as a massive outdoor space, Alexis has put an emphasis on shade. The design includes an extended roof line around mature trees, so you can sit outside in cool comfort watching one of the dozens of TVs.
And as what might serve as a warning for some, Birdie’s will be a kid-friendly spot with space for little ones to run around and play games. There’s also an adults-only lounge (saucy!) and sauvignon blanc slushies (super saucy!).
As for the food, it’s not Nashville hot chicken (the name had us wondering), but a wide range of bar and grill fare, with a tendency toward being healthy: wings, edamame, hummus, flatbreads, salads, sandwiches, burgers, wraps and pastas. A bit of everything.
Still no LuAnn platters, though. Bummer. We’ll drop a note in the comment box.
