Leela's in Uptown is a Cozy Pizza and Wine Den

Leela's is on the ground floor of McKinney and Olive (M&O), a glamourous mixed-use development that was designed by Argentine-American architect César Pelli, whose other work includes the World Financial Center in New York City and the Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur.

Exterior-facing retail spaces at M&O occupy the ground level of the building, all facing a large, open green space with some water features. At one end is the high-end steak house Del Frisco's and at the other is a new Mexican Sugar that should open soon. Sandwiched in between are a Starbucks Reserve, Roti, MIXT and a few other spots.
If you're passing by at night, you'll notice Leela's neon green sign. Leela's is a brand from Dallas-based UNCO Hospitality, which is responsible for several popular spots including Hero, near the American Airlines Center, uber-popular HG SPLY Co. on Lower Greenville and Standard Service. There's also a lipstick-red bar above the original Leela's on Greenville Avenue called Milli, a sexy dance floor that doubles as cocktail a lounge.

So, with this portfolio it's no surprise that the newest Leela's outpost in Uptown already feels established. The space has charm: casual, not uptown-bougie (well, maybe a touch, but it's easy) and the service is smooth.

We sat at the bar, which has a hidden TV, a clever technique with a TV up high inside a bar so that people sitting at the bar can watch a game, but other diners aren't diverted to another screen. It's like a secret nod to those of us who prefer a perch at the bar. (We're a club. You can join anytime.)
Leela's uses a tap system for wine; 16 spigots protrude from dark green tiles at the back of the bar instead of walls of bottles. This minimalist approach results in less waste and a more consistent quality of wine.

Wine pours come in three sizes; 6- and 9- ounces or whole bottles. Selections range from rosés to whites from New Zealand and reds from California. There is also a full bevy of cocktail options, and we're sure a fine martini espresso, as Leela's on Greenville is known for.

A focal point of the menu is the Roman Tonda-style pizza, which is noteworthy mainly for its thin and cracker-like crust. The Leelas's crew consulted with Lee Hunzinger — the go-to local pizza dough guy who also helped develop the dough at Zoli's and Thunderbird Pies — to get this style just right, which is flat as a cracker and strong enough to hold up the toppings. You can order pizzas in full or half sizes; the latter is a perfect dinner for one. We went for the mushroom pizza ($10) with a bechamel sauce, mushroom medley and white truffle oil.
We also tried a smoked blue salad with a mix of greens, tomato, cucumber, smoked almonds and a smoked blue cheese vinaigrette. This is the blue cheese salad for people who aren't crazy about blue cheese. It's light and healthy, leaving plenty of room for half of a pizza, which is the reason we'll return.

Next time we'd likely go for the half pizza and half salad option for $16. Six-ounce wine pours here start at $10 and 8-ounce glasses range from $14 to $17. So, you can get a very decent dinner with a glass of wine for about $30, which for the location is better than one might expect.

Leela's sits only 68 diners, making it a quaint spot. Check it out for happy hour, on weekdays from 4 to 6 p.m. for $7 Champagne cocktails and house wines. When we return we will likely make reservations because the space is a bit small-ish, which is certainly part of the charm.

There's valet out front, or you can park in the garage underneath and get your ticket validated at any restaurant.

Unlike the Lower Greenville spot, this one is open for lunch seven days a week.

Leela's, 2355 Olive St., Monday – Sunday, 11 a.m. – 10 p.m.