Chef Misti Norris Joins East Dallas Restaurant as Culinary Director

James Beard-nominated chef Misti Norris has found her next adventure.

Norris climbed the culinary ranks, earning accolades for her restaurant Petra and the Beast. This boundary-pushing gem was Esquire's Best New Restaurant in 2018 and on Bon Appétit's Top 50 restaurant list in 2018. A creative menu of house-cured meats, seasonal ingredients and handmade pasta also earned Morris several James Beard nominations,including a finalist for Best Chef Texas in 2024. 

Petra in the Beast moved from its cozy original spot in an old gas station to a larger location in Lakewood Shopping Center along Abrams Road in 2023. The restaurant closed in late 2024, at which time Norris noted the move changed the dynamics of her concept and that she had to make compromises to meet the demands of a larger audience.

Norris' new adventure lands her in a Quonset along Haskell Avenue in what used to be a mechanic shop. The restaurant and bar, Far Out, is the latest venture from Christopher Jeffers (Bolsa, Chicken Scratch and Smoke). Norris has taken the helm as culinary director. The space was originally Wriggly Tin, which closed last year. Far Out opened in December 2024.

The mission of Far Out syncs with Norris' values, which are centered around a sustainable seasonal menu that minimizes food waste. Noted as an "evolving restaurant and community project," the next phase of the restaurant is the development of The Outlands, an expansion of the 3-acre property that will include a private taproom, a working greenhouse, a micro farm, and an incubator and residency program to develop local talent.

The current menu at Far Out includes just nine dishes: a starter, salad, six mains and a dessert. Many dishes that align with Norris' classic flavors and styles: local tomatoes and preserved lime with crispy pig ears and confit tomato; tagliatelle with a white Bolognese; cured hirimasa tostada with avocado, preserved lime and chiles toreados.

You might want to make reservations soon, as this will be fun and word will spread fast.