Aug
Radar Range: Details on New Restaurant from Chef Tom Fleming
Just off the phone with Tom Fleming, an old friend and one of Dallas’ most talented chefs. Tom’s lengthy cooking cv includes the The Riviera, 214 Central, Old Hickory Steakhouse, Pappas Bros. Steakhouse, Lombardi Mare, and a goofy lobster place that he and Phil Romano opened at Preston Center years ago. Now, he’s about to get back into the frying pan.
For the past couple of years, Tom’s been a restaurant consultant with Addison-based Preferred Restaurant Management Group. The grind of being on the road several days a week finally caught up with him, so he’s turned in his keys “to be an entrepreneur,” he told me. “I want to run my own place.”
Amy Severson and Nancy Nichols recently broke the news about Tom’s new place. Here are more of the details:
Together with his longtime friend (and former executive sous chef at 214 Central) Carl Strelecki, Fleming is about to sign a lease in the Central/Walnut Hill area for a low-brow, high-value restaurant he’s calling Crossroads Diner.
“It’s a diner, it’s a joint” Fleming said, “It’s fresh ingredients, done right…chef driven, comfort food, reasonably priced, with lots of value.”
Crossroads Diner will initially focus primarily on daytime business, especially breakfast, so Fleming can spend more time at home with his kids in the evenings.
“I like breakfast,” says Fleming, “and I don’t think there are many good breakfast places in Dallas.”
Crossroads Diner will serve breakfast and lunch daily except Mondays, and serve dinner Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays till around 8 pm. He’s targeting average checks to range between $8-9 per person for breakfast, $12-14 for dinner.
Fleming promises more news after he inks the deal, which he hopes to complete this weekend. Fleming thinks he’ll be open for business by October 1.
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5 Comments
I agree with Ellen. Dined there Sunday for breakfast. Server had look of “Deer in headlights”. Waited forever for coffee. She had only 2 tables. Young hostess had same look allowing a line of people to wait at the door because she didn’t know where to seat them. Nice lady trying to run the front, must be Mrs Flemming, very personable and engaging. Large place has room for nice square tables, however, there are tiny 2 tops all over. Clue for Tom and crew, even a single diner doesn’t want to sit there.
Now the food. Pancakes too thick and “cakey”. Biscuits cold and hard. Fritatta not cooked in the middle. Bacon was very good, as was coffee.
To be fair, they have only been open a short time. I hope they make it as we need a nice eatery there. I may try it again, but will wait a while until they iron out the kinks.
Ellen,
Thank you for the constructive evaluation! After one week of being open I wish we had done a better job for you. I would ask that you give us another chance. I appreciate the fact you came from across town and am sorry we did not meet your expectations!! This is the reason I put on the front cover of the menu that I wanted to know when we didin’t do it right, so I could make it right!
Thanks
Tom
Weird. Tom is a great chef. Did you tell your server you weren’t happy? I can’t imagine that Tom wouldn’t make it right.
TRIED CROSSROADS ON SATURDAY FOR BREAKFAST. AT THE TIME, THERE WERE ONLY FIVE TABLES OCCUPIED. I MENTION THIS ONLY TO HELP THE READER TO UNDERSTAND WHY WE QUESTIONED THE SLOW SERVICE RECEIVED.
THE BELGIUM WAFFLE WAS NICE. MAPLE SYRUP NICE. SAUSAGE OK (HAD TO WIPE OFF THE GREASE)
SCRAMBLED EGGS LIGHT AND FLUFFY
THE (WHEAT?)BISCUIT WAS HARD AND COLD; ALSO THE CREAM GRAVY ASKED TO HAVE THEM REPLACE.
OJ NICE
WOULD NOT TRAVEL ACROSS TOWN AGAIN FOR THE FOOD
I have followed Tom’s cooking all over Dallas. He’s a great chef and I wish him the best of luck with this new venure.