Carbone’s Settles and Will Change Its Name
After months of back and forth following a trademark lawsuit against glamorous Italian restaurant chain Carbone, Dallas’ Carbone’s Fine Food and Wine owner will close his restaurant and reopen under a new name, according to the Dallas Morning News.
Carbone’s owner Julian Barsotti told the News that he and Major Food Group (the parent company for Carbone) co-founder Jeff Zalaznick became friends during the legal proceedings, and the settlement was easy to work out once they were in the same room. Lawyers wouldn’t disclose details of the settlement to the News, but Carbone’s will close Jan. 1 and is expected to stay closed for about 90 days while it revamps, Barsotti said.
A lawsuit such as this one is rare because both restaurants are so similar, trademark lawyer Chris Schwegmann told D Magazine in June. Carbone’s and Carbone serve Italian cuisine and sell jarred pasta sauces for customers. Barsotti ran Carbone’s on Oak Lawn for 10 years. Carbone opened in New York City in 2013.
In legal proceedings, Schwegmann said Barsotti’s lawyers would have to prove that they own the trademark to the Carbone name and that there was confusion between the two. Confusion wasn’t difficult to prove—a log showed 1,400 people called the wrong restaurant and meat purveyors delivered to the wrong location several times. Barsotti told the News that his lawyers did a “good job” establishing that there was confusion. The other thing: Carbone had a trademark on the name “Carbone.” But Carbone’s had common law rights to the name.
Schwegmann said the best solution would be a settlement, which is exactly what played out. That being said, does anyone have new name suggestions? We’ll pass them along.
Shop and Sip Perfect Lattes at NorthPark Center
A new location of La La Land Kind Café opened over the weekend at NorthPark Center. It’s the coffee shop’s sixth spot in Dallas-Fort Worth, considering its most recent addition of a drive-through location in Richardson. The café is located on the second floor near the mall’s food court, right between Auntie Anne’s and Paciugo. 8687 N. Central Expwy. Ste. 2408.
A New Steakhouse Will Open Monday in Grapevine
Hoffbrau Steak & Grill House is opening in Grapevine the Monday after Thanksgiving with Texas-themed décor, food, and drinks. The steakhouse will serve up its signature steaks along with offerings like Shiner Bock fried mushrooms, Dr Pepper pork ribs, and chicken fried steak. The Grapevine location will be the restaurant’s fifth in Texas. 700 W. State Hwy 114, Grapevine.
Fishmonger’s in Plano Closes For Good
The News reported the closure of Fishmonger’s Seafood in Plano, which will shutter November 27 after almost 41 years. Co-owners Pattie and Jim Elrod said the pandemic was a big driver for the restaurant’s closure. The establishment was known for its cajun offerings such as po’boys, etouffee, and shrimp plates.
Trendy Macaron Shop Closes Its Doors
We The Birds, a macaron shop in Old East Dallas, closed for an unknown reason on November 30, according to its Instagram account. The shop was run by sisters Sarah and Natalie Knowlton and was known for its custom and personalized macarons.
Poco Fiasco Brings Hot Pizza And Cold Martinis to Harwood District
A pizza joint is popping into the Harwood District next month, and it promises to serve up pies and ice-cold libations. Poco Fiasco plans to serve New York-style slices with a Dallas twist. The Donkey, a pizza with a kick, has diablo sauce, pepperoni, spicy Italian sausage, red onion, and fennel. There’s also the Texan, a cheddar pizza with brisket, barbecue sauce, and pickled red onion. If you aren’t feeling pizza, there’s a slew of Italian favorites like chicken parmesan, antipasto, and a meatball sub.
The drink menu includes a lengthy wine and beer list, but the stars of the show are the martinis. The martini list includes eight variations like the James, which has gin, vodka, Lillet Blanc, and a lemon twist. The Joe, a spin on the espresso martini, is coffee liqueur, Kahlua, vanilla Vodka, and cold brew. If you aren’t feeling those, you can also build your own. Poco Fiasco will open Dec. 1 at 2828 N. Harwood St.
The Finch Joins the Flock at Mockingbird Station
A new American restaurant called The Finch debuted Monday at Mockingbird Station, in the space that was once Café Express, according to a press release. The Finch will serve up lunch and dinner every day of the week, and it’ll also have a weekend-long brunch menu and happy hour specials.
“We’ve been developing The Finch for some time now and are really excited to introduce it to everyone,” said Milkshake Concepts CEO Imran Sheikh in a prepared statement. “We believe The Finch will become a mainstay for Dallasites – a comfortable place you’ll gravitate toward several times a week, for an intimate date night, laid-back brunch, business lunch, or a drink or two during our exceptional happy hour, with good friends after work.”
Dallas-based chef Eric Freidline will head the kitchen, which will deliver a menu of crab dip with trout caviar, salmon and poached beet salad, and Bombay chicken tikka pizza. A raw bar includes seafood and oysters, with the option to “blackout” the oysters with caviar. 5307 E. Mockingbird Lane, Ste. 150.
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