Photography by Kathy Tran
Out of the Mist cocktail at Krio has tequila, aperol, lime juice, yuzu and a mixed-berry smoke bubble
AN ASIAN-INSPIRED seafood restaurant with a topnotch cocktail program blazed into Bishop Arts, taking a glamorous space that fronts the streetcar station, in July.
With interior design by Coeval Studio, Krio received a mention in Architectural Digest for its pastel palette, unique indoor planters and light-filled space with “wavy” blonde wood accents that evoke a beachy feel without hitting you over the head with it.
The boil menu, with shellfish by weight and four spice levels, is on the chalkboard. Starters like jambalaya egg rolls, served with sweet chili sauce, and andouille sausage baos appear alongside fried cauliflower and okra. There’s also chicken-and-sausage gumbo and fried baskets. Krio has banh mi and po-boys on the menu, offering 12 sandwiches, including two that are vegetarian.
Kessler Park resident Connie Cheng opened the restaurant with business partners chef Dan Bui and hospitality pro Warren Yip after a year of pop-up events every week.
They considered Lower Greenville, Deep Ellum and Uptown for their permanent location.
“It just felt right here,” Cheng says. “I just had a feeling.”
She says they already have many neighborhood regulars and a customer base among nearby apartment dwellers. Residents who share the building get a small discount and free delivery. Cheng or Bui usually deliver it themselves.
“We’re here all the time. We’re so hands-on,” she says. “The community has been awesome. We’re not a neighborhood bar, but it does have that feeling sometimes.”
Cheng and Bui met while working together at the classic Dallas restaurant Sfuzzi. Later she was the manager of Sisu, the pool resort that Bui owned on Ross Avenue. Pop-ups helped them reach a larger market, and now they’re the hosts of occasional events for other restaurants, such as Sandwich Hag. A recent “painting with pinot” event drew about 20 women on a Wednesday, which is half-price wine night. By the way, raw oysters from the Northeast are half price on Mondays. Happy hour is from 4-6 p.m. with $5 bites.
Krio serves brunch Saturdays and Sundays, with beignets, blackened cheddar grits and chicken-fried chicken, as well as its regular full menu, and it has a huge outdoor seating area.
Meanwhile, the founders are going all in on Oak Cliff. Bui expects to open a new restaurant, Atlas, just a few blocks away on Bishop Avenue, as soon as late January. It will serve cuisine and cocktails from around the world.
