Smoke Dallas, other prominent restaurants to close

It may be the holiday season, but there’s not a lot of ho ho ho in parts of Dallas restaurant town this year. I know of about seven prominent restaurants that are closing after the first of the year.

Sadly, the parade of no no no is just starting. MiDiCi in Uptown has closed. A tipster says no one has been in the space since last Sunday; a web post says they are permanently closed.

Next up: Smoke, the once popular Tim Byres restaurant at the Belmont Hotel in southern Dallas. Co-owner Chris Zielke tells me the hotel will take over the space though the restaurant is doing well. A employee says Sunday dinner is the restaurant’s last shift. Open Table offers no booking availability beginning Monday.

Even in this steakhouse-crazed town, there isn’t much room for mediocrity. Three prominent steakhouses may soon be shutting down, and one is relocating. On the bright side, two new big-name steakhouse players from out of the area are moving in – and wait till you hear who they are.

I’ll have more details soon.