Barsella’s is set to open in December.
Photo by Lisa Petty
The ovens at Round Table Pizza have been cold for a while now, but it won’t stay that way for long. The split-level corner space at 5600 SMU Boulevard, surrounded by longtime college hangouts (Barley House, Milo Butterfingers), will reopen as Barsella in early December.
Combining a full-service restaurant and walk-up slice window, this new spot will also be pizza-centric. Before ya start crowing about déjà vu, though, new owner Oliver Steinberg would like to have a word.
“I’ve been fortunate to work with some exceptional restaurant and hospitality operators over the years,” says Steinberg, a commercial real estate broker by day. “Those relationships have given me an opportunity to learn a great deal about the industry, from operations and site selection to the economics behind running a successful concept.”
Um, OK professor. More importantly, about the pizza, he reports that it “genuinely brought tears to my eyes.” So, yeah, he’s pretty confident that history won’t repeat itself. He’s confident about a lot of things.
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Dallas Observer: This is your first restaurant. Why here, why now?
Oliver Steinberg: I believe there’s a gap in this particular part of Dallas for what we’re creating. We’re surrounded by established restaurants and bars that have built incredibly loyal followings, and that speaks to the strength of the neighborhood. I think there’s an opportunity to introduce something that complements what’s already here while offering a different kind of experience.
DO: We’d love a few more details on the pizza.
OS: I’ve always gravitated toward New York-style pizza. Detroit-style is having a moment, but there’s something about a classic New York slice that I don’t think will ever go out of style.
In August, I took our executive chef to New York for a pizza research trip. We visited Joe’s, L’Industrie, Scarr’s, Ceres and Mama’s TOO!, along with Italian restaurants like Don Angie and Lil’ Frankie’s. We wanted to experience as many different approaches as possible, understand what we liked and didn’t like, and bring those lessons back to our test kitchen in Dallas.
One of the things I’ve become somewhat obsessed with throughout this process is the texture of the dough. To me, the perfect New York slice needs to have a very distinct crunch while remaining incredibly light and airy on the inside.
DO: Will your dough be made in-house?
OS: Our dough will be made in-house, and we’ve experimented extensively with different flour combinations, fermentation techniques, and water chemistry. One detail I’m particularly excited about is that we’ve been able to replicate the mineral characteristics of New York water here in Dallas. We’ve taken the same approach with our sauce, cheese, and toppings.
About two weeks ago, we had a tasting in our test kitchen that, for me personally, was better than anything we tried in New York. The crust had exactly the crunch, structure and lightness I’d been trying to describe for months. The sauce, cheese, and dough all came together perfectly. I know this probably sounds a little ridiculous, but it genuinely brought tears to my eyes.
DO: That sounds amazing, but how much will it cost?
OS: Right now, we’re projecting approximately $6 for a cheese slice from one of our 18-inch New York-style pizzas. That number could certainly come down or move slightly higher as we finalize our menu and pricing.
DO: Finally, what prompted you to launch a restaurant in the current, difficult climate for food businesses in Dallas?
OS: There’s no question that the restaurant business is challenging, and I certainly don’t underestimate that. But Dallas-Fort Worth is also one of the largest metropolitan areas in the country, with more than eight million people. In a market this size, there are always going to be restaurants opening and closing, regardless of the economic environment. I think the more important question is what separates the restaurants that succeed and build a loyal following from those that don’t.
…I realize we’re entering a difficult industry, and I know there will be challenges we haven’t anticipated. But I’ve wanted to do this for practically my entire life, and I believe we’ve assembled an exceptional team, found a great location, and developed a concept that offers something the neighborhood can really embrace.
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