The Screen Door Closes This Saturday: The Second In A Week For One Arts (Updated)

By Scott Reitz Fri., Jul. 27 2012 at 3:16 PM

I will miss you, meatloaf sandwich...

The Screen Door will be the second restaurant in One Arts Plaza to close this week. A reader who tried to make a reservation for next week was told that the popular Southern cooking restaurant would serve its last meatloaf sandwich on Saturday. I just called chef David McMillan to try and nab a quote, but he was unavailable to take my call.

I've been trying to talk to McMillan since earlier this week, when his other One Arts restaurant, The Commissary, closed. I really liked that meatloaf sandwich at the Screen Door. And McMillan's mac and cheese. One Arts will have a very different dining scene this fall.

I'll let you know if I get in touch with the chef.

Update: Just saw this over on the Dallas Voice. Looks like the Lombardi's have swept in to offer One Arts patrons a new bistro.

Location Info

Venue

Map

Screen Door

1722 Routh St., Dallas, TX

Category: Restaurant

0 user reviews	Write A Review
Save to foursquare

We Recommend

bhat

The lunch prices at Screen Door, Jorge's, and Fedora were (are) all reasonable for a business lunch depending on what you order. They are -- thankfully -- not 7Eleven and offered an alternative to food trucks and a void of fast food restaurants in the OAP District. I especially found the food a Screen Door appealing. Lunch service was prompt and the food delicious. I will miss Screen Door.

byter

Don't look for affordable eating in the arts district. although Jorge's does a reasonable lunch. There are too few spaces to compete so the rents will stay high. The message is clear. Only those that can afford $80 or more for tickets plus parking, and overpriced food and drink need come to the arts district.

kduble

The Commissary deserved to close. My wife went there before a show. We were told we could go on a waiting list for a table inside, or we could eat outside. It was dusk and not terribly hot, so we took a table outside. After about 20 minutes of waiters walking around us and nobody serving us, we walked over to Fedora's. We've always been fine with Fedora's, Tei-An and Jorge's. We weren't badly dressed or anything. I don't know why they wouldn't wait on us.

On a larger note, the city isn't managing the Arts District well. It has two big residential towers. What it really needs is lots of low-rise and mid-rise like Uptown, Cityplace West and the West End. The rich folks in those towers are not the type of people that will spill out onto the sidewalk to add street vitality and patronize casual dining.

James

@kduble it's essentially like Victory Park. It's maybe not as far fuckin away from everything. It's more accessible (foot, car) too. But it's come-in, come-out for events like AAC.

Don't understand what's so f'n complicated about 2-story commercial on bottom, residential on top.

Guest

@James The cost of the land is what is so "complicated" about building anything that isn't high rise downtown.

James

Pretty big bummer. They've had some ebbs and flows but, it's been very solid for a while now. I just think it might be an example that we're kind of at max capacity for $21-39 entree restaurants. The rich-person country club decor and vibe (while nice, quaint, tasteful yes) was sometimes too stuffy for me. The Arts District tumbleweed factor is in there as well.

I have nosebleeds to all the events and frequent the DMA, Nasher, Crow, etc. But after forking over money for that, it's tough to drop even more money for food. Even if it is really good, like Screen Door and Commissary mostly were. I'd rather that stay and take out Fedora, though it's doubtful that stays much longer either. I think people want something a bit more casual, accessible. The Ziziki's Taverna up in Addison is really cool in that regard and I hope they model this one after that.

ScottsMerkin topcommenter

3 Like

maybe they will replace them with a Taco Bell/KFC/Pizza Hut combo. Or just turn the whole thing into a giant 7-11 chilli frito pie spot

JaniceA

If any of these places are open for lunch, they wouldn't have been able to compete with all the food trucks in this area.

ScottsMerkin topcommenter

1 Like

@JaniceA is that bc the food truck have better food? probably

G_David

@ScottsMerkin Not even close. But head-scratchingly, just as expensive.

JaniceA

Not necessarily

Myrna.Minkoff-Katz topcommenter

I wonder if its remote location at the far end of the Arts District has anything to do with it.

ScottsMerkin topcommenter

@Myrna.Minkoff-Katz the arts distrcit isnt that big, plus they have the Arts Carts to drive people over there

JaniceA

@ScottsMerkin @Myrna.Minkoff-Katz Those guys in the Art Carts drive like assholes by the way.

JaniceA

@ScottsMerkin @Myrna.Minkoff-Katz The position requirements must include lead foot. And they give you a dirty look as they're cutting you off. I was crossing the street by the way.

ScottsMerkin topcommenter

@JaniceA @Myrna.Minkoff-Katz bc they are rejected Valet drivers lol

therrick

1 Like

"A reader who tried to make a reservation for next week was told that the popular Southern cooking restaurant would serve its last meatloaf sandwich on Saturday."

Doesn't sound that popular if it is closing...

Peacock214

1 Like

So Commissary and Screen Door close, yet the godawful Fedora remains?

I will say that I've never really seen any of those restaurants particularly busy, though the people at Fedora sure behaved as though I was lucky to be eating there.