The ILL Minster Pub Is Refused Lease Renewal, Beach Vibes Come To Bishop Lane And More. 

Welcome to The Spread, our weekly feature that aims to share all the area restaurant, food and beverage industry news that’s fit to print. Except, this is the Internet, so space isn’t a concern. Also: Good thing, because this is Dallas and this town always has breaking restaurant news going down like whoa.dallas food news

Good news or bad news first? Let’s just get it over with.

Beloved chef Michelle Vi Pepping has closed Richardson restaurant Chelle’s Seafood. As a nominee for CultureMap’s best chef Tastemaker award, it goes without saying that Pepping knows what she’s doing when it comes to food, but even the most enticing of dishes and concepts couldn’t hold up to the devastating domino effect the pandemic has had on the local restaurant industry.

Allow us to recap Chelle’s Seafood for you. The Thai-inspired seafood restaurant boasted Dallas’ most delicious Asian dressed oysters. If you’re not a fan of fish sauce, Chelle’s oysters would have changed your mind. The combination of Thai chili peppers blended with a fish sauce vinaigrette on top of a fresh succulent oyster with a squeeze of lemon hits the spot, even for you oyster fearmongers. It was the perfect blend of tangy, fishy and spicy to make any foodie take a double-take.

“With the desire to focus on my other business ventures and in conjunction with all of the challenges presented by Covid, inflation, and staffing issues that have plagued virtually all small businesses, I’ve been recently approached with an opportunity that I simply cannot pass on,” Pepping said on Instagram. “As such, Chelle’s will serve its last meals (for the time being) this weekend.”

It was shots all around May 29 night as Pepping and her staff served up the last fried chicken boas. Chelle’s you will be missed.

Being the true entrepreneur that she is, you can still catch Pepping at Okaeri Café. The Japanese-inspired cafe opened February and has captivated restaurant goers with shiba inu rice balls and intimate floor seating booths. It not only promises a culinary indulgence, but an experience into Japanese culture. If it’s anything like Chelle’s, you’re in for a treat. It’s on our to try list and urge you to add it to yours.

More sad news coming straight from Uptown. The ILL Minster Pub, who reigns supreme when it comes to a pop-up theme, is closing its doors on June 25. The pub broke our hearts via an Instagram post.

The bar is located at Gables Villa Rosa apartments. According to an online petition, Gables Villa Rosa Management refused to renew the bar’s lease. The petition has garnered over 380 signatures, but the pleas from Dallasites did not waiver the fate of the bar.

The ILL Minster has served as a hub for Green Gables Rosa residents to enjoy a beer before trotting off into their home resembling the good ‘ol classic “Cheers.” Through their themed pop ups, all of Dallas has joined in on the action. Many will remember “Kill Minster,” the serial killer pop up theme last Halloween where Freddy Kreugar look alikes flocked to to the ILL Minster to take photos in a bloody tub. Who can forget the insane “Chill Minster” where Dallas sat on Santa’s lap with a coupe of spiked eggnog?

Currently, the ILL Minster has gone Gotham with a Batman pop-up.

We urge you to take one last go at the $5 shot wheel and toast to the ILL Minster with a “Kiss of Death,” the Poison Ivy-inspired cocktail. As for us, we’ll be standing where we belong, right at The ILL Minster Pub counter.

Farewell, ILL Minster!

Let’s hitch a ride to the beach! Ok, actually we’re heading to Bishop Arts, but we promise it’s Bishop Arts like you’ve never experienced it before. Over the weekend Casablanca premiered The Palm Bar and Tejas premiered The Beach Shack. Together the outdoor bars make Bishop Lane, a perfect oasis for a staycation. The Palm Bar is a beach inspired outdoor bar pulling out all the stops. Lounge on a comfy rattan loveseat in the sand with Tajin rimmed crafted cocktail. Bishop Lane will feature DJ’s on Friday and Saturday nights.

Down in Deep Ellum, Tatsu Dallas has opened. The restaurant is Japanese fine dining served omakase style meaning the chef decides the menu to offer. If we’re going to trust a chef to pick a menu for us, there is no better option than sushi master Chef Tatsuya Sekiguchi.

Sekiguchi, who came to Dallas from New York, has curated an Edomae-style sushi menu where seafood is cured and preserved. According to CultureMap, for $170 per person, the experience comes with 15 to 18 courses including appetizers, sushi, soup and a dessert.

How’s that for a fancy dinner out? Just don’t wear perfume. Chef Sekiguchi doesn’t want the smell to interfere with the tasting experience.

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