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Tuesday, July 7, 2009

Hard-hatting it at the new Hard Rock Cafe in Dallas

by Teresa Gubbins

Two years after the Hard Rock Cafe in Dallas shut down, the new Hard Rock Cafe in Dallas hosted a hard-hat tour for members of the media as a ramp-up to its July 15 opening date.

Hard Rock Cafe hard-hat tour (July 6, 2009)

Photos by Marc Lee

(Click photo to see entire gallery)

Exterior at new Hard Rock Cafe in Dallas' Victory Park.

The opening marks a return to Dallas for the chain, which pulled out because business at the old location in a now-razed historical building in Uptown wasn't profitable. It's hard to see how the new location in the beleaguered ghost town that is Victory Park will be any better. It seems odd that it's located right across the street from competitor House of Blues, and by "odd," I mean perhaps aggressively competitive.

But the staff and marketeers who bustled at the site seemed invincibly cheerful about the new outlet's prospects, when they weren't effusing reverentially over the restaurant-bar's collection of music memorabilia.

Disappointingly, there were no actual hard hats -- unnecessary since the place was nearly done, although the construction workers laying down squares of floor tile at the entrance lent an authentic hard-hat vibe. I've been to other hard-hat walk-throughs where it's a tightly-controlled guided tour; but at this event, the handlers took a hands-off stance, letting us roam through the area unattended. (They may also have been distracted by the posse of blondes bearing some kind of Dallas Morning News credential who arrived five minutes after we did.)

The cafe will have 265 seats plus an additional 40 on the outdoor patio, and an on-site store selling T-shirts and merchandise. At the center is an oval bar with bubbly lighting fixtures and a decorative curtain made of chain mail. I liked the vertical slats of wood that reminded me of frets on a guitar. The kitchen is visible behind a wall of glass, and features a hardwood smoker; the menu includes ribs, chicken, pork, and six Angus burgers. Cocktails include hurricanes, margaritas, martinis, and smoothies.

Much to-do is made of the memorabilia, and so here is some obligatory blah-blah, even though it's a field of interest that escapes me. I admit that I did eye the Western suit in the lobby ostensibly worn by Madonna for an album cover shoot, only because I was surprised at how flimsy the hem seemed. There was a moderate emphasis on Texas acts with guitars from Willie Nelson and Pantera guitarist Dimebag Darryl, and a red jacket belonging to Buddy Holly that was set in a shadow box with a translucent photo on the front for a weird, incomprehensible 3-D effect. A pair of fuzzy, furry guitars belonging to ZZ Top deserved special merit, said designer Andrea Torgeman, because they came from the old Dallas location.

Cool silver furniture at House in Victory Park.

One neat thing about the tour is that it took place at the same time as a meeting of the new employees, who were receiving their work uniforms. There was a casual informality, and a couple of them even came up to shoot the breeze.

The restaurant's planning an August 20 grand opening with The Old 97's.

But probably the best thing was the lobby of The House next door, the Phillipe Starck-designed high-rise residence adjacent to the Hard Rock. The eye-popping decor looks like the last few scenes in 2001: A Space Odyssey.

Staff
Verified User
Anonymous

That's great that The House was the highlight of your tour TG - I bet that place looks awesome inside (The House, that is).

It certainly wouldn't be the actual food at the HRC, which appears not to have changed since they left 2 years ago. The "Twisted Mac & Cheese" was bland and boring then, and I have a feeling it's gonna be more of the same now.

Let's just hope there's some mass influx of tourists to Dallas, otherwise, I don't see how this place thinks it's going to survive this time around.

James Scott Verified

4 months, 2 weeks ago
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Remember back in the 80's when everyone had to have one of those Hard Rock Cafe t-shirts?

Unfortunately, I think that time has passed. And I think most people will think of the whole restaurant in that light. Wish them the best, though.

Fezziwig Anonymous

4 months, 2 weeks ago
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Fezzi...I got mine at Trader's Village..

Travis Bush Verified

4 months, 2 weeks ago
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This will be closed in a year or so. So overrated and the food is lame.

Jon Ostrowski Verified

4 months, 2 weeks ago
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I went to see the job fair,they had hundered's of people, even some very challenged folks, while the crowd......of folks should of been at the gun show I felt...And I later realized there are 200 of these places.....all over the world...a shame rock cafe socity are not Hobos and Hippie's House's for the holy to dance and travel...A/T, Holy Hamburgers at the Hard Rock...

alexander troup Verified

4 months, 2 weeks ago
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I loved the original in my HS days and I celebrated my first job in Dallas at an original Hard Rock table sitting next to hand written John Lennon lyrics. It was never amazing but I always thought the place was special. BTW - My last visit was the week it closed and took the ghost tour. Got some spooky pictures. Some how I dont think the new place will have any of that history to share AND parking in Victory Park sucks. Why would I pay to go there??

Peter Stawicki Verified

4 months, 2 weeks ago
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HARD ROCK @ Victory Park = DOOMED!

okme2 Anonymous

4 months, 2 weeks ago
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Dude they need to bomb the crap out of 508 Park and steal all the toilets for real authenticity

DC Anonymous

4 months, 2 weeks ago
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WTF??

Lisa Lawrence Merritt Verified

4 months, 2 weeks ago
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There are certainly no lack of negative comments out there. WOW! I personally have missed having a Hard Rock in Dallas. I think Victory Park is a great location for the new restuarant and while it is not a place for "fine dining" I have always had quality food at every Hard Rock I have visited and at a reasonable price. Parking is not a problem either...for $5.00 you can park just south under the expressway and it's an easy walk. Best wished to the new Hard Rock of Dallas!!!

CCD Anonymous

4 months, 2 weeks ago
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WOW, you people are declaring this thing DOA before it even opens, sound like typical Dallas 30k chris-chris millionaire defeatism to me. Anything down at VP is going to be better than the failures they've had already. Like I said from the get-go, they NEED places like this (decent price chain/mom n' pop) that will draw in business and keep it on both event/non-event nights. This is about the best decision since Zee Germans took over the place...

Chris Kidd Verified

4 months, 2 weeks ago
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I grew up in Dallas and always made the HRC a must-visit on my trips back because of the combination of it being cool plus I loved the historic building. I used to shop there years ago when it was an architectual antique store. HRC did a fantastic job of renovating it and I loved the location. Instead of trying to appeal to tourists they should have done more to draw in Dallasites. Now I see no reason why I'd want to go to the new one since the location has no sentimental meaning to me. I should not be surprised that the orignal HRC building was razed but I am since the last I heard the battle to save it seemed to have been a success. It never fails to amaze me what disregard Dallas has for its historic sites. Those are what gives a city character. What a waste!

rene Anonymous

4 months, 2 weeks ago
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Dallas is for Dandies and Dollars too, while who want's a half filled bottle....then again it is a Vision thing,about the old and new,....spoiled and destructive, a kid who is a bully,a city with bio polar energy....Yes, the Hard Rock concession has moved...it had to tear down the old in order for it to have the new, and sold the lot for a pretty good cunk of change...now new sucker's in a new zoo.....A/T, The Hard Rock and Room full of Blues...

alexander troup Verified

4 months, 2 weeks ago
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I agree w/Chris..they need more regular places for tourists and people who go for the games..it will be the only thing that saves it from its uppity beginnings..

Travis Bush Verified

4 months, 2 weeks ago
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While they did cut the West End in half and took out the exspansion of the old and Sehik new.....

There is a mind about developer's and how they mine the business of people.....getting the gold out of tourist is not a spiritual exciting thing...or an event realization, sure you can throw million's out and hire or buy a place...it's Community and its people, but who own's whom....A/T,... I just bought Deep Elm and it is closed, no trespassing unless your my with my clan.....