The "Local Restaurant" Located in the Historic Boyd Hotel in Dallas, Texas

Located at 2936 Elm Street in Dallas, Texas, and built in 1908, the former Boyd Hotel is one of the oldest cast iron front buildings still standing in Dallas, and many of Deep Ellum's Blues musicians and other famous celebrities have stayed at the Boyd Hotel. Located within the Boyd you will find the trendy Local Restaurant tucked neatly within the walls of the old hotel. Deep Ellum, known for its funky arts and entertainment district is located near downtown in east Dallas, Texas.

The ultra hip boutique style restaurant opens up into an eye-popping visual lofty haven designed with mid-century modern fanatics in mind. Decorated with classic Eames chairs, shag pile rugs made from wool, and curved zebra wood bar stools, the restaurant is simply enticing to look at. The original hardwood floors and exposed brick walls adds a charming yet modern atmosphere that is both warm and welcoming.

It is commonplace for Executive Chef, Tracy Miller to come out and mingle with the dinner crowd as she looks for feedback on the unique entrée's offered at Local. The hidden find within the old Boyd Hotel is truly a diamond in the rough that offers culinary specialties from tomato basil soup and mini grilled cheese sandwiches to a heavenly pear tart with pistachio ice cream.

Local Restaurant offers thirsty customers their signature cocktail that was not overlooked by Rachel Ray herself when she visited the unique eatery. Featured on Rachel Ray's Tasty Travels, the cocktail is made with bubbly champagne with a scoop of homemade rosemary grapefruit sorbet that quickly melts into a fizzy concoction, and it compliments any appetizer or meal.

The signature drink had a rough beginning however, as it was once known as the Champagne Slurpee, that is until 7-Eleven got wind of it. A two-page cease-and-desist letter promptly arrived from the legal guns of 7-Eleven Inc., makers of the Slurpee. "We got busted," Miller says. "So we've taken the 'p' out of it." Now the signature slurp is known as a Champagne Sluree, and Miller says they plan to frame the 7-Eleven letter and install it as a piece of artwork on the restaurant's walls.

Chef Tracy Miller began to organize her business plan for Local Restaurant by planting the seed of her dream in the historical Boyd Hotel building. Because the building was not a restaurant, Miller began a complete renovation in 1998, turning the space into a beautiful, clean, and highly personalized space while retaining its sense of history and charm.

Miller has executed a menu composed of "tall order" and "short order" dishes, with items like skillet-fried buttermilk chicken, hazelnut-mustard crusted halibut, tuna tartare and Nantucket bay scallops. Only the highest quality and freshest ingredients are considered for purchase, and Tracy Miller has come to rely on the best meat products from Niman Ranch and seafood from Connolly's in Boston.

There are plenty of good things that can be said about Local Restaurant, and there are some very interesting people who have frequented the establishment over time. The historic hotel was a one-time stopover for legends like Bonnie and Clyde, Huddie "Leadbelly" Ledbetter and Blind Lemon Jefferson.

Although these legends are not around today to enjoy the local atmosphere of Local Restaurant, they are quite often the topic of conversation among the dinner guests and staff as it is not uncommon to hear eerie sounds humming through the spaces in the historic Boyd Hotel where the restaurant started to take shape and the hotel slowly became a piece of the past.

Local Restaurant
2936 Elm Street
Dallas, Texas 75226
214) 752-7500
www.localdallas.com

Hours of Operation: 6pm-10pm Tuesday through Saturday
Prices: Main courses $16-$35