Issue link: http://papercitymagazine.uberflip.com/i/1488935
PIZZANA 3219 Knox St., 214.440.4400 pizzana.com I t seems Dallas can never have enough good pizza spots. A new pie outpost of Candace and Charles Nelson's Pizzana has popped up in the always hot Knox neighborhood. Master pizzaiolo Daniele Uditi's take on neo- Neapolitan pies first emerged in L.A. in 2017 (there are now three locations in Southern California). The Nelsons are also the founders of Dallas' Sprinkles Cupcakes. The intimate, light-filled restaurant with Mediterranean-blue accents was designed in collaboration with Andrea Lenardin O ur friends at Vandelay H o s p i t a l i t y G r o u p (Brentwood, Hudson H o u s e , D r a k e ' s Hollywood, The Anchor Bar) continue opening new locations of their crowd-pleasing concepts. Recently the second iteration of D.L. Macks — known for its Chicago-inspired, classic American cuisine in a clubby room — opened in Preston Hollow … Newly opened on McKinney Avenue, STK Steakhouse (Doha, Dubai, Ibiza, Las Vegas, London, Los Angeles, Miami, Milan, New York City, San Francisco) is giving Dallas carnivores another reason to rejoice. Billed as "Not Your Daddy's Steakhouse," this is a high- energy room with an in-house DJ … A few other spots were opening as we went to print, so we haven't had time to pop in and sample. But rest assured, Brass Ram is top of our list. Love dining in a historic, architecturally unique location? Look no further, as this Nick Badovinus restaurant serving up seafood and red meat is found in the slice-of-pie-shaped 2130 Commerce Street building. We also hear Badovinus has another spot, Royal Bastard, opening soon — in, of all places, the infamous former King's Cabaret strip club in the Design District … Check out Double D's, which just premiered, the latest concept of This & That Hospitality (Sfuzzi, The Whippersnapper, High Fives, Alice, Ferris Wheelers Backyard & BBQ) is packed with nostalgia — a hangout spot serving cocktails in a '70s retro lounge. Also recently opened is Harwood Hospitality Group's 11th concept, Poco Fiasco. The pizza and martini concept is getting a lot of buzz, with Brooklyn-inspired pies and interiors that are a clash of easy sophistication and rowdy accents. Finally, we were beyond intrigued to hear that Duro Hospitality (The Charles, Sister, Café and Casa Duro) have opened El Carlos Elegante in the Dallas Design District, fashioned to feel like a Mexican hacienda. Everything in the space was custom-made, including the fountains, fireplace mantels, wallpaper, the doors, and the ironwork. A standout piece is a custom wallpaper by Brooklyn artist Daniel Falcón, who also created the El Carlos "family portraits" that hang in the dining room. Madden of A L M Project, the architect for all Pizzana locations. The place was packed on our recent visit, with cantilevered trays hung from tables with a variety of intriguing pizza options. The menu is similar at all locations, but our spot nods to the local barbecue scene with brisket from the wildly popular Pecan Lodge, and San Marzano sauce as a topping on another. The secret to Pizzana's popularity is the light, easy-to-digest crust made with organic stone-ground flours that ferment for a full 48 hours. Beyond pizza, try the wood- fired meatballs with San Marzano dop and wood-fired bread, and the cavolfiore: crispy panko cauliflower with Calabrian lemon aioli, Parmigiano, and parsley. El Carlos Elegante Pizzana Fish with mint mojo, fennel, and herbs at El Carlos Elegante ELIZABETH LAVIN SUNG-JOON KOO DOUGLAS FRIEDMAN DOUGLAS FRIEDMAN 111