Standing on the century-old green and white marble floor at the entrance to The French Room, you’ll feel as if you’ve been transported back to its early 20th-century heyday. The renowned restaurant at The Adolphus, Autograph Collection received a massive renovation in 2017, the first since the 1980s, restoring the dining room to its glory of yesteryear, adding a chic parlor and a sexy cocktail bar.
Next door to the restaurant, The French Room Salon is an eclectic mixture of fine art pieces, mid-century and global furnishings and Adolphus Busch’s century-old Steinway piano. The French Room Bar, by contrast, is a sultry, intimate space in sapphire blue with sumptuous seating, a fireplace and decorative accents that date back to the hotel’s 1912 opening. The elegant spot hosts tea during the day, and elevated craft cocktails in the evening.
But the crown jewel of the set is The French Room restaurant, a gilded beaux-arts wonder. With wedding-cake-hued walls, vaulted ceilings with gold inlays and twin Murano glass chandeliers, the space is the portrait of opulence. All of this sets the stage for contemporary cuisine rooted in French culinary tradition.
- The salon’s lounge-meets-gallery vibe is
bolstered by its 42-piece collection of works on display, each by an artist
with Texas roots. Drinks and bites from the bar menu are available to enjoy in
this creative setting.
- The 100-year-old Steinway & Sons
piano in the salon was originally supposed to board the Titanic with its owner,
Benjamin Guggenheim. It was waylaid in transport, missing the ship and becoming
available for Adolphus Busch to purchase.
- Afternoon tea is served on weekends in
the bar and features local artisan brews. The custom china may reveal historic
hotel icons, such as Reynard the Fox or an Anheuser-Busch eagle.
- The Dallas restaurant is known for thoughtful
tableside services,including a roving cart of fine cheeses.
- The wooden ornamentation above the
fireplace in the bar dates back to the hotel’s opening in 1912, as does the salon’s
marble floor. Uncovered during the 2017 renovation, the floor was cleaned, but
the scuffs and scratches were left as is to give you a glimpse into the hotel’s
glamorous past.
- Local design firm Swoon the Studio is responsible
for overhauling The French Room’s historic main dining room, along
with re-envisioning the artistic salon and sleek bar area.
- The artwork in the salon was curated by
Lucia Simek, a Dallas visual artist and author with ties to the Nasher
Sculpture Center.
- Ever the quintessential experience in
Dallas luxury, The French Room has been the site of countless marriage
proposals over the years. It’s a great spot to pop the question.
- The French Room menu is seasonal and
rotates on a regular basis. Reservations are strongly encouraged to ensure
seating.
- The French Room cuisine is a modern
take on traditional French disciplines. Expect to find escargot, caviar, beef,
seafood and well-prepared fowl on the menu with some seasonal flourishes.
- The best way to experience the storied restaurant is by indulging in its seasonally inspired five-course prix fixe tasting menu. Wine pairings can be
added to round out the experience.
- For the first time ever, The French Room is offering a new a la carte menu, courtesy of executive chef Anthony Dispensa. Look out for an ever-changing selection of dishes, including beet risotto, seared Long Island duck, and dry-aged ribeye with a classic bordelaise sauce.
- Extravagant supplements — an array of caviar, fresh oysters with a Meyer lemon mignonette, and selections from the cheese cart — add an elegant flair to your already luxurious meal.
- In 1912, The French Room opened with a
grand beaux-arts design that Dallas had never seen before. The space was
renovated in the 1980s to feel more Parisian — a rendition that still holds a place
in hearts of many — however, the 2017 facelift harkens back to the restaurant’s
original splendor.
- The refreshed dining room is opulent in
its simplicity. White Venetian plaster walls allow the ornate gold trim and
cotton-candy-colored crystal chandeliers to steal the show.
- The salon is an inspired space that is heavily
influenced by contemporary art. While the ornate chandelier and wood-paneled
walls are a hat tip to history, the décor and artwork speak to today’s
sensibilities.
- The bar is a departure from the dark
wood paneling. It is a definitively masculine space, wrapped by navy blue walls
with marble tables, velvet seating and diamond-cut glassware.
