Fort Worth's Kimbell Art Museum this month is scheduled to open the Renzo Piano Pavilion, a new building designed by Italian architect Renzo Piano. The pavilion will provide more gallery space as well as classrooms, an expanded library, underground parking, and a 298-seat auditorium with music-friendly acoustics. The pavilion's natural-light-filled lobby is also available for events and holds 500 for a reception or 300 for dinner. Constructed of glass, concrete, and wood, the expansion has two parallel wings connected by two glass passageways. It has green features such as a sod roof and solar cells.
With an enviable location in Klyde Warren Park, Savor opened in late September. The striking structure, with floor-to-ceiling glass walls, is LEED certified and designed by architect Thomas Phifer with interiors from Bill Johnson of the Johnson Studios. Among the green features is a key wall that has 12 craft beers and 16 wines on tap and is estimated to save 40,000 bottles of wine a year. The gastropub seats about 325 people, with 175 seats inside and 150 seats outside. A chef’s table in the back of the restaurant seats six. The restaurant offers outdoor seating on three of its four sides and has two patios that both overlook the 5.2-acre park.
Live music venue Gas Monkey Bar N' Grill opened this fall from the stars of the Discovery Channel series Fast N' Loud. With more than 10,000 square feet of patio space and 9,000 square feet indoors, the space is more of an entertainment complex. It has two stages, the larger of which is outside and has a $500,000 sound system. The venue, which serves a slate of burgers and beer, also has an upstairs with more than 2,000 square feet of V.I.P. space, including a deck, private room, and bar.
Alamo Drafthouse has expanded into Richardson, opening a seven-screen cinema for new release films. Auditoriums have QSC digital audio systems, Sony 4k digital projection, and 3-D capabilities. The full menu includes beer and wine, as well as options for brunch and a children's menu. The theaters are available for rental, with the smallest seating 47 and the largest seating 247.
Offering house-made noodles and vegan options, husband and wife Joey and Chi Le opened Tanoshii Ramen & Bar in September in Deep Ellum. The design from Coeval Studios retained the exposed brick walls and concrete floors but added bright Japanese murals and fabric dividers. The restaurant seats 65.
A new concept from the company behind Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steak House, Del Frisco’s Grille opened in Fort Worth's Sundance Square Plaza in October. The restaurant spans 10,800 square feet over two floors and has two bars, a private dining room, and a large patio for outdoor dining.
From the local restaurant group Twomey Concepts comes Toko V, a pan-Asian restaurant in Highland Park Village that opened in early October. The menu offers Japanese-style fried chicken, Korean barbecue ribs, and a variety of sushi and sashimi. The restaurant is located upstairs from Village Kitchen and seats 84.
Opened this fall in Plano is Taverna Rossa from 33 Restaurant Group. The pizzeria makes its pies on a Woodstone FireDeck oven using locally sourced ingredients such as Texas sausages from Hamm's Meat Market, applewood smoked bacon, smoked Texas brisket, and cheeses. It also has 24 craft beers on tap. The restaurant seats 175 people and can host events on its patio, which has a private bar and holds 80 for receptions or 40 for seated dinners.
Sera Dining & Wine, a tapas restaurant, opened late September in Fort Worth. The sharable plates will change seasonally to take advantage of local produce. The 3,456-square-foot space seats about 130 guests, including a private dining area and a few outdoor tables.
Following a fire in August, chef Tim Love has reopened his flagship Lonesome Dove Western Bistro. Most of the damage occurred in the kitchen, which has been renovated, while other areas saw new lighting design and refurbished ceilings. The restaurant accommodates events of as many as 400 people and has several spaces for private dining, including the intimate Trail Room for 20 guests and the outdoor Dove Verandah for 70 seated guests or 120 standing.
