Abacus dallas menu8/23/2023 ![]() ![]() In a place where creativity is nourished, where the pastry chef and other staff are responsible for the gorgeous artwork gracing the walls, you get the sense that Lucky is feeling very lucky indeed. Abacus is run by Chef Kent Rathbun and this restaurant has earned a slew of accolades including Bon Appetites Best Tasting Menu. “I miss my boys (at Standard Pour),” he says. “Nobody here is waiting for a drink,” Campbell says. It could also mean barrel-aged cocktails. That means more efficient use of space and time. The kitchen, he says, has a Zen feel to it, a sort of flowing, if regimented, rhythm that the bar staff hope to instill as well. (Marc Ramirez)Ĭampbell, whose resume includes the Mansion at Turtle Creek, Bolsa and the ill-fated Chesterfield, is now flexing his frenetic, creative energies alongside barmen Jason Long and Jordan Gantenbein, and he hopes to eventually have some influence on Abacus’ evolving drink menu and bottle selection, which typically trends toward martini spins and classic variations. “It’s good to be around people who understand what you want to do.” Campbell’s latest creative venue is a whole new environment for the freewheeling bartender. “I’ve never worked with a kitchen of this caliber,” he says. ![]() Though that might sound a bit like Superman doffing his cape, Campbell was giddy in his third day on the job, riotous hair tamed back into a ponytail as he roamed his posh, dimly lit new surroundings Saturday night like a youthful Steven Seagal. It’s also a big step for the gifted, gravelly-voiced Campbell, who’s swapped his trademark fedora for the clean-cut, all-black duds of the Abacus bar corps. “We’ve always had a great wine program, but we wanted to give a little more attention to our mixology and cocktails,” says Abacus manager Robert Hall. It’s a significant move for the elegant, Pacific-Rim-themed restaurant, which is looking to ramp up its bar program as Dallas cocktail culture continues its rapid maturation beyond hipster bar territory. After five months at Uptown’s Standard Pour, Lucky Campbell has taken his crafty talents to The Bar at Abacus, the five-star Kent Rathbun restaurant in Knox-Henderson. Address: 4511 McKinney Ave. ![]() (Sheila Abbott)ĭon’t look now, but The Man in the Fedora is on the move again. (Ask for table 24 or 25, two circular banquettes tucked into the more private side dining room, and watch the rest of the restaurant gooseneck for a peek as they walk by.Lucky Campbell: Now making your drank amid some swank. The soft, elegant lighting makes everyone look like they’re stars on a movie set, which isn’t much of a stretch given Abacus’ whispered reputation as a celebrity hangout. Looking for grilled antelope? You’ll find it under Big Plates, where the Texas wild game shares a plate with smoked cranberry gastrique and creamed Brussels sprouts.Ībacus is as stylish and romantic as ever. There’s even a dinner version of eggs Benedict, except in Burr’s version, which he calls “eggs Bene-duck,” Burr drapes a tall buttermilk biscuit with housemade duck ham, a sunny side up quail egg, a spoonful of tangy hollandaise and a drizzle of maple syrup. The atmosphere consists of a black and red decor and was surprisingly busy on a Tuesday night with plenty of tables of business dinners. Healthy equation: Abacus offers a fine dining experience in the airport. Abacus is run by Chef Kent Rathbun and this restaurant has earned a slew of accolades including Bon Appetite's Best Tasting Menu. Big, plump scallops arrive with a drizzle of pumpkin seed oil and a vinegary pop of red grape mustard. Whitetail Bistro was unveiled in September 2016. The duo’s newest menu is riddled with dozens of gutsy combinations, like pork tenderloin glazed with citrus and rosemary and ruby red beet demi. Though Daniel Burr is now the restaurant’s chef de cuisine, Burr and Rathbun continue to find ways to keep the menu relevant and vibrant without scaring away legions of local fans. Rathbun knows not to mess with a good thing. The chef and owner of Abacus, Jasper’s and Blue Plate Kitchen demonstrated that last week, when he asked me to stop in to Abacus to see what’s new. Thanks in large part to the Asian-inspired cuisine he’s turned out for years at Abacus (which I awarded five stars when I reviewed it a few years ago for the Dallas Morning News), Rathbun stands tall among the luninaries of the Dallas dining scene.
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