Stephan Pyles Does It Again

Stephan Pyles is downtown Dallas’ answer to a stimulus package. Charity-previewing his new, 80-seat, Spanish-Morroccan-Indian-Middle Eastern restaurant to a crowd of nearly 1,000 revellers, Pyles worked the crowd, posing for pics, group hugs, and air kisses.

Inside the small space on the ground floor of what used to be called the San Jacinto Tower, at Ross and Olive Streets, partygoers noshed on dozens of different apps from the forthcoming menu, including oven-fresh naan, lamb kebabs with tomato chutney, papadum cones filled with pomegranates, chick peas and potatoes, and the creamiest baba ghanouj ever.

While the promise of food attracted many to the buffet inside, the big pin action was on the front patio, where bellydancing and other feats of strength (negotiating crowds, circling the bar, avoiding old girlfriends) featured prominently.