Who’s behind it: Chez Fifi is a new French restaurant from brothers David and Joshua Foulquier, both partners in the We All Gotta Eat group and Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence winner Sushi Noz on Manhattan’s Upper East Side.
“The inspiration behind Chez Fifi comes from the incredible experiences my brother David and I had growing up with our mother, Fifi,” Joshua Foulquier told Wine Spectator via email, adding that the restaurant is just a block from his mother’s longtime home. “She was the epitome of hospitality—always welcoming friends and family into our home and making them feel like they were part of our family.”
When it opened: December 2024
What’s on the wine list: Sommelier Tira Johnson oversees a wine program of more than 1,000 labels, with primary focuses on France and Spain. This includes an extensive collection of about 90 Champagnes from houses such as Chartogne-Taillet and Jacques Selosse—several pages are devoted to grower Champagnes—as well as a few bubblies from Spain, Jura and farther afield.
[article-img-container][src=2025-01/restaurant-news-chez-fifi-nyc-tuna-010925_1600.jpg] [caption=French and Basque influences show throughout the menu, including this bluefin tuna au citron with osetra caviar. ] [credit= (Connor Cowden)] [alt= Bluefin tuna au citron with osetra caviar from Chez Fifi in New York City][end: article-img-container]
Diners can expect bottles from leading wineries across Alsace, Burgundy (one of the list’s main strengths), the Loire Valley, Bordeaux, the Rhône Valley, Galicia, Andalucia, Rioja and beyond. Names familiar to wine lovers include R. López de Heredia Viña Tondonia, Marqués de Murrieta, Billaud-Simon, Chandon de Briailles and many more.
The program also features a wide selection of California wines, including an impressive collection of Kistler labels across multiple vintages, as well as Oregon Pinot Noirs, Brunellos and Barolos. There are notable selections of dessert wines (including 10 vintages of Château d’Yquem back to 1962) and large-format bottles.
“We would love to host wine-focused dinners and events in the near future!” said Johnson. “We have two floors, which gives us more flexibility for private events … We want guests to explore our Champagne list, which we will continue to grow.”
The culinary approach: French and Basque influences show through on the menu from executive chef Zack Zeidman (formerly of acclaimed downtown Manhattan restaurants Estela and Café Altro Paradiso). “[The menu] blends French-inspired dishes focused on bold, beautiful, vibrant presentations,” said Zeidman. “Think of it as elevated comfort food—dishes that are meant to be shared, with a focus on traditional techniques.” Expect dishes like a foie gras terrine, an omelet with black truffles, escargots à la Bourguignonne, a ribeye côte de boeuf and txangurro (a “deviled baked crab” traditional to Basque cuisine). Desserts include chocolate mousse, crème brûlée and baba au rhum with poached pear.
The design: Sweden-based Joyn Architectural Design Studio gave the 40-seat restaurant an “intimate” feel. Inspired by Paris, the restaurant is spread across two floors of a townhouse: The first floor features banquette seating, flashes of blue, mirrors and mahogany paneling; the second, which features high ceilings and chandeliers, is home to Salon di Fifi à l'Étage, a 28-seat space where guests can enjoy cocktails and smaller plates surrounded by works from the Foulquiers’ art collection (including pieces from Joan Miró, Alexander Calder and Pablo Picasso). “[It] has a more intimate, refined atmosphere with a curated selection of dishes that are a bit tighter, showcasing the best of what’s offered downstairs,” said Joshua.
The neighborhood: Located on East 74th Street near Lexington Avenue, on the Upper East Side’s Lenox Hill, Chez Fifi isn’t far from Award of Excellence winner BLT Prime and the famed Carlyle Hotel, as well as cultural institutions like the Frick Madison art museum (temporarily housing the Frick Collection) and Asia Society and Museum.
“I am excited to get people excited about dining in the Upper East Side,” Johnson explained. “So many neighbors and locals are ecstatic about our opening … We are here to change the dining landscape of this neighborhood.”—Collin Dreizen
Who’s behind it: Catch Hospitality Group—which is behind Restaurant Award–winning steak, seafood and sushi outposts in New York City, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Aspen and Miami Beach—opened a new Catch restaurant in Dallas in late 2024. Since founding the group in New York City in 2011, partners Tilman Fertitta, Mark Birnbaum and Eugene Remm have expanded across the country with their vision of upscale steak and seafood served in a lively atmosphere.
When it opened: Nov. 8, 2024
What’s on the wine list: The new location’s head sommelier is Ben Reynolds, formerly of Grand Award winner Pappas Bros. Steakhouse Dallas. He oversees a program of approximately 700 selections, the largest list ever for a new Catch location. There are 20 wines available by the glass, plus 17 cocktails, five zero-proof cocktails and several draft beer and sake selections.
[article-img-container][src=2025-01/restaurant-news-catch-dallas-bar-010925_1600.jpg] [caption=Like the other Catch locations, the 16,000-square-foot space was designed by the Rockwell Group.] [credit= (Kayla Enright Photography)] [alt= The bar at Catch Dallas][end: article-img-container]
“We knew coming into the Dallas market that the clientele would really take their wine seriously,” Catch Hospitality Group wine director Emily Buse told Wine Spectator via email. “We are particularly heavy on French wine, and so far that seems to have been the correct move! For our first few nights, we sold solely Bordeaux and Burgundy, which was an absolute delight for Ben and me.”
The list boasts gems from wineries such as Vincent Girardin, Domaine Leflaive and Château Troplong Mondot. Diners looking for bottles from farther afield will also find Furmint from Hungary’s Oremus, Paso Robles Tempranillo from Epoch and other well-known bottlings from California, Italy, Spain and beyond.
“Both Ben and I are huge wine nerds who have vast appreciation for the classics, but love championing some lesser-known and -appreciated vintages and producers,” Buse said, adding, “We have an astounding amount of classified growths from Bordeaux over 10 years old and [at] extremely competitive prices, and our guests are loving it so far!”
The culinary approach: Catch is known for its maximalist-leaning takes on seafood, sushi and steak. That approach drives the menu in Dallas, which is overseen by culinary vice president John Beatty and culinary director Michael Vignola, along with traveling executive chefs Ryan Brooks and Adrian Vela and executive sushi chef Stanley Xu. Diners familiar with other Catch locations will recognize the signature Catch roll (with crab, salmon and miso honey), Cantonese lobster, mushroom spaghetti and truffle sashimi. Four steaks are offered: prime New York strip, prime cowboy rib eye, center-cut filet and Wagyu porterhouse. The “From Japan to Dallas” section features sushi selections flown in from Japan’s Toyosu Market. Diners can also enjoy Japanese Wagyu seared tableside on a hot rock.
[article-img-container][src=2025-01/restaurant-news-catch-dallas-dishes-010925_1600.jpg] [caption=Catch has a reputation for luxe seafood and sushi.] [credit= (Kayla Enright Photography)] [alt= A selection of sushi dishes from Catch Dallas][end: article-img-container]
The location: The new Catch is located in Uptown Dallas’ Maple Terrace development, a 1920s building revitalized with high-end apartments, office space and upscale street-level dining. Like the other Catch locations, the 16,000-square-foot space was designed by the Rockwell Group. But this location pays tribute to the area’s history as a “playground” for celebrities such as Dean Martin, Judy Garland and Elvis Presley. The space is marked by a monumental main bar and a central olive tree, a signature design element shared by several Catch restaurants. For private events, guests can rent out the Emerald Room, which opens directly onto a second-floor outdoor patio.
What’s next for Catch Hospitality: In December 2024, Catch Hospitality closed Catch Steak in Los Angeles, following that with the closure of Catch Steak in New York City earlier this week. (The flagship Catch, in Manhattan’s Meatpacking District, remains open.) According to a statement provided to Eater, the company hopes to focus on its Catch locations, including the new outpost in Dallas, as well as one in Scottsdale, Ariz., set to open later this year. It also plans to renovate Catch New York City and Catch Los Angeles. And in September 2024, the group opened Corner Store, which has quickly become a celebrity hotspot in Manhattan’s SoHo neighborhood.—Kenny Martin
Who’s behind it: Le PasSage and Rose Café at Le PasSage are the latest projects from Travis Street Hospitality, the Dallas group behind Wine Spectator Restaurant Award winners Le Bilboquet, Knox Bistro and Georgie. The company was founded by longtime Dallas restaurateurs Stephan Courseau and Daniele Garcia with managing partners Bruno Davaillon and Edward Goemans.
When it opened: Oct. 18, 2024
What’s on the wine list: Travis Street’s corporate beverage director, Daniel Bowman, oversees a list of more than 185 wines and 40 sake selections, with 2,200 bottles in the cellar. He expects the wine list will grow to around 350 offerings. Seventeen wines and five sakes are offered by the glass.
Bowman told Wine Spectator via email that the list “features a global selection with a strong focus on France, particularly Burgundy.” However, the team also “wanted to introduce our guests to hidden gems—regions and countries less commonly found on wine lists, such as Greece, Austria, Germany and Hungary, as well as unique French appellations like Jura and Collioure.”
[article-img-container][src=2025-01/restaurant-news-le-passage-dining-room-111424_1600.jpg] [caption=The space of Le PasSage harkens back to the “golden age of luxury train travel.”] [credit= (Evan Sung)] [alt= The dining room of Le PasSage in Dallas][end: article-img-container]
While the list offers plenty of splurge-worthy bottles from the likes of Lucien Le Moine, Robert Mondavi and Domaine de la Vougeraie, value and variety are clearly priorities for Bowman, who says his focus “leans more European and off-the-beaten-path.” Many bottles can be had for less than $100, even Burgundies.
Rose Café has a smaller, more casual list—plus dining menus overseen by executive chef Sotear Tep—tailored to the space. But, if guests would like to look beyond this list, they can order bottles from Le PasSage’s full wine program.
The culinary approach: Davaillon, Travis Street Hospitality’s culinary director, is no stranger to Dallas diners, having held executive chef roles at Rosewood Hotels & Resorts, the company behind Best of Award of Excellence winner the Mansion Restaurant. Alongside executive chef Hou Lam “Dicky” Fung, the longtime corporate executive chef for the Mr. Chow collection of restaurants, Davaillon showcases the culinary traditions of Vietnam, Cambodia, China and Thailand through an approach grounded in French technique.
“[We’re] about honoring the precision of French cuisine while embracing the vibrant tastes of Southeast Asia and beyond. Our goal is to offer diners an experience that feels both familiar and completely new, where every detail, from the menu to the design, tells a story,” Davaillon said in a statement.
[article-img-container][src=2025-01/restaurant-news-le-passage-snapper-111424_1600.jpg] [caption=The menu of Le PasSage embraces the cuisine of China and Southeast Asia.] [credit= (Evan Sung)] [alt= Fried red snapper from Le PasSage in Dallas][end: article-img-container]
Signature dishes include blue crab–stuffed Dover sole with lemongrass butter, green prawns with cashews, shaking beef with grass-fed filet mignon, and a Texas Wagyu New York strip with white soy miso butter. But the shareable mains steal the show: Choose from whole-fried snapper, ginger-scallion whole lobster and Peking duck for four. And don’t sleep on the starters, which include eggplant dumplings in yuzu soy broth, fried bitter greens with candied walnuts and lotus root chips and yellowtail crudo with burnt ginger sauce.
The location: Travis Street Hospitality has made itself a mainstay of Dallas’ happening Knox–Travis district, situated at the confluence of the historic Highland Park, Uptown and Turtle Creek neighborhoods. Le PasSage and Rose Café are located on the ground floor of the Terminal at the Katy Trail, a new development combining luxury residences with upscale dining and retail along a 3.5-mile pedestrian trail. The 4,800-square-foot space, designed by Michael Hsu, evokes the Orient Express and the “golden age of luxury train travel,” with burled wood throughout.
The more casual, all-day Rose Café has a covered, open-air patio with views of the Katy Trail. The space, with its green-tiled bar and striped banquettes, was planned as a welcoming social and dining hub for trail-goers, neighborhood residents and visitors alike.—K.M.
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