Chef John Tesar Debuts Spoon Bar & Kitchen The Fine Dining Seafood Restaurant Is Now Open In Dallas' Preston Center

[Dallas, Texas-December 18, 2012]- Spoon Bar & Kitchen, the highly anticipated seafood restaurant by James Beard nominated chef John Tesar, is now open in Dallas. Tesar has drawn from his 20+ years of experience in the industry to create a menu offering forward-thinking dishes featuring fresh seafood from waters around the globe.

"I grew up on the East coast and worked under Chef Rick Moonen for years," says Tesar. "I want Spoon to be something special. I'm going back to my roots to create a fine dining establishment with a focus on responsibly sourced, fresh seafood. The menu will be approachable enough to become a neighborhood staple, but inventive enough to hopefully turn some heads on a larger scale."

Spoon Bar & Kitchen offers several unique dining experiences. Expect a built-in raw bar offering two selections of oysters per night, a semi-private wine room with a chef's table, and an interactive counter overlooking the open kitchen where diners can sample experimental cuisine. Patrons can choose from the a la carte menu or opt for a chef's tasting menu that changes nightly.

The menu focuses on responsibly sourced seafood using the highest quality ingredients. Expect raw to lightly cooked fish creations such as wild striped bass crudo with chili oil, lemon, parsley and marinated mussels; razor clam tartar with sturgeon caviar; and uni terrine, osetra caviar, cr�me fra�che, green apple, yuzu, orange powder and Balinese pepper. Entr�es include roasted monkfish "osso buco" with lobster daishe, fish noodles, turnip, Asian mushrooms, carrot daikon and long bean; and barely cooked arctic char with pea puree, hen of the woods mushrooms, peas, favas, pearl onions and pea tendrils. In addition to unique seafood options, the menu includes other items such as meats, pastas and daily seasonal specials.

The interior, designed by Breckenridge Taylor, exudes the feeling of a seaside bistro with modern accents. The 58-seat dining room features textured plaster walls, antique mirrors, rounded banquettes and a sleek marble bar.

Spoon Bar & Kitchen, located at 8220-B Westchester Drive, is open for dinner Tuesday through Thursday from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m., Friday through Saturday from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m., and Sunday from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. For reservations and more information, please visit www.spoonbarandkitchen.com.

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About John Tesar
Known for his stylish, modern American cuisine prepared with classic European techniques, Chef John Tesar's innovative culinary perspective and charismatic personality have garnered much acclaim throughout his 20+ years in the restaurant industry. Since receiving classical French training at La Varenne Ecole de Cuisine in Paris, Tesar started his culinary career at Club Pierre in Westhampton, followed by stints at 13 Barrow Street, 44 & Hell's Kitchen, Vine and the Supper Club in New York where he cooked with Anthony Bourdain (tales of which are documented in Bourdain's books, Kitchen Confidential and Medium Raw). After New York, Tesar headed to Las Vegas to work with Chef Rick Moonen at RM Seafood. In 2007, Tesar moved to Dallas to take the helm at The Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek, one of the city's most esteemed restaurants. While there, his forward-thinking cooking earned two five-star reviews and a nomination for the James Beard Foundation's "Best Chef Southwest" Award. As a highly sought-after consultant, Tesar is the genius behind the menus at The Cedars Social and The Commissary, as well as DRG Concepts' Dallas Chop House, Dallas Fish Market, Wild Salsa and Chop House Burger. In 2011, Tesar competed on the inaugural season of the Food Network's Extreme Chef, beating out competing chefs for the title.