Entertainment

Another night, another cocktail. The last week has burst forth with a May flowering of openings.

2916 N Henderson Ave.

214-828-2916

In 10 words or less: Tristan-dom takes on Houston's.

Who was there: Park Cities people and Knox-Henderson regulars.

Prime real estate: Bar tables overlooking the dining room.

Courtney Perry / Special to DMN

The Porch

On the seven deadly sins scale: Five of seven: Gluttony, envy, pride, greed, lust. Missing: wrath, sloth.

The latest addition to Tristan Simon's Consilient restaurants, the Porch, held a pre-party on Tuesday. It was a comfortable, enjoyable affair, which counts as high praise. Many debuts are about as much fun as dental surgery, beset with overwhelmed, under-trained servers, malfunctioning cash registers, missing candelabras, the smell of just-completed painting and carpentry and, of course, the advent of too many pleasure-seekers, on too many guest lists, chasing after too few pleasures.

None of that was the case here. The restaurant was never more than bearably full, about 200. The menu samples were doled out to waiting diners like clockwork. They included the Stodg Burger (cheeseburger garnished with fried egg, for those of us who aren't dying fast enough already), fish and chips, beef brisket sliders, gourmet mac-and-cheese, mini-salads and desserts. The bartenders, pouring an open bar and specialty drinks, including the Blackberry Smash and Fraise Tart, never appeared submerged by the onslaught.

One partygoer described the Porch as "Houston's without the brass rails." Substantial acreage is given over to the bar and lounge area, so figure the place will strive for at least a happy hour scene.

Rex C. Curry / Special to DMN

The Foundation Room

2200 N. Lamar St.

214-978-2583

In 10 words or less: A luxurious reprieve from riff rock.

Who was there: The graying pony tail set.

Prime real estate: Settled onto a settee

On the seven deadly sins scale: Four of seven: envy, pride, greed, sloth. Absent: wrath, lust, gluttony.

The House of Blues capped its first week with a party Saturday featuring the reconstituted Blues Brothers (Jim Belushi with Dan Aykroyd), Fender-shredding billionaire Paul Allen and a cast of thousands.

The line at the opening bell stretched up Houston almost to the entrance of the W Hotel.

Since Mr. Dallas' musical inclinations lean more to digital sorcery – mixing boards, turntables, "press play" – than to refried blues rock, he was most interested in the HOB's inner sanctum, the Foundation Room. Very cushy.

Nan Coulter / Special to DMN

Belushi and Aykroyd at HOB Dallas

Indeed, the deep-pile patchwork of area rugs make this the only spot in the 60,000-square-foot venue where you could be falling down drunk with confidence.

The rococo decor and chill-lounge background sounds put the Foundation Room at a remove from the rest of the HOB, a transnational hipster enclave surrounded by the fervent commercial celebration of American roots music.

So does the high-dollar membership ($2,250 and up a year), though that was waived for the night, of course, and the lounge filled with gawping boomers out past their bedtime.

The Galleria, between the Westin and the Grill on the Alley

214-866-0214

In 10 words or less: Globalization has come to town to party down.

Who was there: Every blonde in Dallas and Collin counties.

Courtney Perry / Special to DMN

SushiSamba

Prime real estate: Anywhere around the bar-in-the-round

On the seven deadly sins scale: Six of seven: pride, envy, lust, gluttony, greed, wrath. Absent: sloth.

Mr. Dallas had to pull his drooling tongue off the floor at Thursday's launch party for SushiSamba. He hasn't experienced such a parade of pulchritude in years, perhaps not since the Hotel ZaZa opening.

The stream of Dallacudas began as a trickle and grew into a torrent before the sun set. They ranged from the wispiest of 20-ish nymphs, all wide eyes and Chiclet teeth, to their more remorseless sisters 20 years on, Pilates-ed and plastinated.

This is the sixth location for the buzzy cross-cultural brand from New York, which "blends Japan, Brazil and Peru in its cuisine, music and design," according to the official gush.

SushiSamba makes a strong case for itself, with a look that froths with colors and textures and a large, central bar roving imbibers can circumnavigate. But the Galleria, a retailing monster ribboned by traffic snarls, seems a precarious spot for a restaurant that's so geared toward creating a scene. The big fun of Thursday will have to continue to keep those lovelies coming back.