Photo by Project Bespoke via Instagram
Restaurant mogul and Preston Hollow resident Phil Romano recently handed the reigns of his Trinity Groves Restaurant Group — the complex of restaurants a few blocks up the street from Rays Sporting Goods (I just like thinking of the proximity of innovative Dallas dining in such close proximity to where my dad buys guns and ammo) — to young chef Julian Rodarte, the son in Beto & Son, a venue that opened inside the Trinity Groves park in 2016.
According to Restaurant Hospitality magazine, the COVID pandemic took a toll on Trinity Groves, and Rodarte is hopefully the man to bring it back to life and to “re-spark efforts to grow new concepts beyond the Dallas property.”
Romano is not retiring, just taking on more of a mentorship role. Rodarte has said publicly he plans to begin filling Trinity Groves’ 10 empty spaces starting with three yet-unnamed concepts that are described as such by RH:
” … the first, scheduled to open in May, will fill two combined spaces within the property to become a 5,000-square-foot restaurant that will seat about 300. The theme will be ‘Americana’ with a Dallas focus …
The other two concepts to come — scheduled to open in August and September, respectively — will be more quick-service or limited service …”
Says the 28-year-old Rodarte via the Instagram, “It all started at 14, washing dishes in a taqueria with the dream of being a chef like my father. At 23, almost 10 years later, Phil Romano gave me the opportunity to make my dreams reality. Now 5 years after Beto and Son and I am realizing this is just the beginning. There are so many exciting new restaurants I can’t wait to share with everyone.”
The Dallas Morning News has an insightful one-on-one with the young chef who goes into detail about his plans for the Oak Cliff adjacent Trinity Groves.
There’s also a worthwhile review of Beto and Son in the Observer.
