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Food

Owners of popular East Dallas kid hangout invite adults to new restaurant next door

Stan Vlasimsky won't go as far to call his new restaurant, Local Traveler, a selfish endeavor. But after leaving the management consulting world for hospitality, he certainly takes into consideration the kind of joint he'd enjoy.

In 2013, for example, Vlasimsky and his partners opened The Lot in East Dallas when he had young kids. Fast-forward five years and the Vlasimsky family is now more suited to places without playgrounds. So when planning his second restaurant, the father of four opted to build a place he would want to go.

"There are a lot of good places," Vlasimsky says of the stretch of Gaston Avenue where Local Traveler is located, which includes cocktail spot Lounge Here, beer hot spot Goodfriend Beer Garden and Burger House, and wine destination Urban Vines. "But the deal was for us, what if we combine having a great meal and not having to decide whether we want a good beer or cocktail experience?"

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To that end, Vlasimsky and co-founder Jeff Burrows tried to put extensive variety under one roof. Luckily, they don't have to go far. Local Traveler opened in early June in a property next to The Lot.

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Local Traveler

Local Traveler

7522 E. Grand Ave.

Dallas, TX 75214

The vibe

The first thing guests will notice about Local Traveler is that it's much more adult-centric than its neighbor. It has a sleek aesthetic thanks to a neutral color palette and trendy industrial accents throughout the space. Pops of personality come from Vlasimsky's collection of family heirlooms, like the scale from his mother's attic in the Czech Republic and a tapestry he purchased in Thailand.

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The bar and restaurant, which holds 210 patrons, used to be both a liquor store and a fishing bait store, but you couldn't tell save for the repurposed steel around the outdoor fireplace and bottom of the bar. That used to line the exterior of the building, Vlasimsky says, and was installed after someone broke in by tunneling through the wall.

Local Traveler's biggest selling point, however, is its covered patio that backs up to the Santa Fe biking trail and a wooded area. Eventually, the restaurant will add lighting and seating within the trees to make patrons feel miles from the trafficky intersection out its front doors.

"The look or feel we're going for is casual-refined," Vlasimsky says. "I'm a big cyclist. You'd be plenty comfortable sitting out here in Lycra."

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The food

Local Traveler enlisted chef Ross Demers, formerly of Spoon, On the Lamb and the Mansion on Turtle Creek, to lead the kitchen. Of the menu, he says, "I'm not stuck in a certain genre of cooking."

That means guests can find seafood, such as a Mexican shrimp dish akin to ceviche called aguachiles, next to a modest list of pizzas. Sometimes you'll find them combined, like in the case of the clam and potato pizza.

There's also charcuterie, appetizers like prosciutto and melon, and entrees featuring house-made pasta. (Pizza dough is also made in-house, Demers says.)

Local Traveler has a chef's table for 10 where Demers envisions hosting multi-course dinners with beer and cocktail pairings. The restaurant also plans to add lunch and brunch service in the coming months.

The drinks

If you show up thirsty to Local Traveler, know you're in good hands. The owners recruited some Dallas' most talented barkeeps under the direction of manager and mixing master Carrie Darnell, formerly of Libertine Bar, to curate a thoughtful menu of beers and cocktails.

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On tap, drinkers will find 29 beers, five wines, five craft cocktails and cold brew coffee. Several more are available in bottles and cans.

Creativity isn't lost in Local Traveler's original cocktails, such as the stunningly pink Hidalgo, a mix of tequila, prickly pear juice and lime juice. Or the Zeppelin, a gin drink made with champagne and activated charcoal, which suspends the bubbles and gives the illusion of a glittery libation.

With all of the elements, Vlasimsky hopes Local Traveler will live up to its name -- which, we expressed, sounds a lot like an oxymoron.

"That's exactly what it's meant to be," he says. "The idea is you don't have to go far to have an experience."

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Local Traveler has patio vibes on lock. There's a stage for live music and eventually there...
Local Traveler has patio vibes on lock. There's a stage for live music and eventually there will be seating and lighting in the trees.(Andy Jacobsohn / Staff Photographer)