In today’s print edition, I have a story about my experience in venturing out to on-site dining following the new protocols of spacing, occupancy, etc. I attended Capital Grille, but they are not the only restaurant to open up with these new rules in place. Here is a partial list of some of those who have established procedures for opening up during COVID, beginning this weekend.
TJ’s Seafood Market. The location at Preston/Royal (not Uptown) opens for seated wine dinners on Fridays and Saturdays, starting tonight. Owner Jon Alexis has also started a new company, Safework, which performs mobile coronavirus testing, including for all employes of the restaurant. Tickets to the first wine dinner are $99 (inclusive of gratuity), and limited to four per purchase order. You can get them here. tjsseafood.com/store/events
Knife at the Highland, pictured. John Tesar’s signature steakhouse dining room opens today, and will be open Thursdays–Sundays for dinner, from 5–10 p.m.; reservations required. (Sundays–Wednesdays food is available for takeout only.) Staff will wear facemasks and gloves. The Plano location remains closed.
Monica’s Mex-Tex Cantina. The Cedars restaurant is back with a lunch service focussing on Tex, and dinner highlighting Mex, Wednesdays–Saturdays only. Reservations are recommended.
Ocean Prime. The Uptown seafood and steakhouse open May 18 from 4–8 p.m. (9 p.m. weekends).
The Rustic. The Uptown honkytonkish resto is bringing back its family-style dine-in brunch, weekends from noon–3 p.m.
Sundown. The Greenville Avenue eatery is opening its downstairs and rooftop patios for dining. All staff will wear facemasks and gloves, and be checked for fever; parties are limited to six.
Pie Five. The pizzeria chain is reopening its dining rooms with enhanced sanitation procedures, including mandatory masks and gloves for staff, social distancing and no active drink stations (bottled drinks will be available).
Freebirds World Burrito will also be opening with limited capacity.
Other restaurants have chosen to close entirely, including Fort Worth’s Bird Cafe on Sundance Square, which will shutter on May 22. Five Sixty by Wolfgang Puck has already announced it will not reopen.
— Arnold Wayne Jones