BUSINESS BUZZ

The lowdown on what’s up with neighborhood businesses

Send business news tips to LIVELOCAL@ADVOCATEMAG.COM

Tesar opens Preston Center seafood restaurant

Five-star chef John Tesar will open seafood restaurant Spoon Bar & Kitchen in November in Preston Center, in the spot where Tramontana used to be located. The restaurant says it is committed to using responsibly sourced seafood. Other interesting features inside Spoon include a raw bar, a private wine room and a counter where customers can sample experimental foods. In related news, Tesar will compete in Bravo’s upcoming season of “Top Chef,” which premiers Nov. 7. TV competitions aren’t new to him. In 2011 he won $10,000 on the Food Network’s “Extreme Chef.” Tesar moved to Dallas in 2007, and since then has been nominated for the “Best Chef Southwest” James Beard award.

North Dallas businesses go to court over LBJ Express Project

Business owners are going to court demanding Texas stop construction of the LBJ Express Project because they say the Texas Department of Transportation didn’t prepare impact assessments of its takings. Lead plaintiff Lamar Advantage Outdoor Co. owns five billboards on I-35 east that are affected by highway construction, the company says. Plaintiff Ralston Outdoor Advertising owns four nearby billboards. There are six additional plaintiffs involved in the case. In July 2011 attorneys asked TxDOT for a copy of Taking Impact Assessments (TIA) for the project, and said TxDOT officials said they didn’t have them after a month passed. The plaintiffs are arguing that TIAs are required by law before governmental agencies can implement projects. Plaintiffs say in May 2012

More business bits

TxDOT said they didn’t need to prepare a TIA. Nevertheless, the plaintiffs want the project declared as invalid and work stopped.

Long-term LBJ changes

The entrance ramp from Hillcrest Road to the eastbound LBJ Freeway will be closed through November until the new entrance ramp is done. The LBJ Express Project will switch traffic to the eastbound frontage road between Hillcrest Road and Park Central Drive. Montfort Drive’s eastbound entrance ramp will be permanently closed, and drivers will have to enter the highway via the Preston Road entrance ramp. Lasting about two years, the westbound exit ramp to Webb Chapel Road will be combined with Marsh Lane, and drivers will have to use that exit ramp to get to Webb Chapel Road.

Girl Scouts need individuals to provide a great leadership experience. You will help them become girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place.

As a troop leader, you will receive training opportunities and experience to build your confidence, public speaking, problem-solving, and career skills, while also making new friends.

To find out more information on becoming a troop leader, visit www.gsnetx.org/volunteer.

1 True Food Kitchen, a 5,915-square-foot restaurant with a reputation for its healthy dishes, will be the first new retail tenant in the 5-story mixed-use building at The Plaza at Preston Center the first quarter of 2013. The meals at the restaurant will be based on Weil’s Anti-inflammatory Diet and Food Pyramid. 2 Ocho Kitchen and Cocktails is now open on Preston. Chef Eric DiStefano brings his experience cooking FrenchAsian food in the Southwest to Ocho’s Tex-Mex menu, which will feature Thai flavors and New Mexican hatch chilies. The restaurant advertises its versatility: While the ground floor will be family-friendly dining, upstairs is a tequila bar and cocktail lounge.

to advertise call 214.560.4203

LAKEHILL PREPARATORY SCHOOL

Leading to Success. 2720 Hillside Dr., Dallas 75214 / 214.826.2931, lakehillprep. org

ST. JOHN’S EPISCOPAL SCHOOL

848 Harter Rd., Dallas 75218 / 214.328.9131 / stjohnsschool.org

School Of Contemporary Ballet Dallas

1902 Abrams Pkwy., Dallas / 214.821.2066 / schoolofcbd.com

WHITE ROCK NORTH SCHOOL

9727White Rock Trail Dallas / 214.348.7410 / WhiteRockNorthSchool. com.

SPANISH HOUSE

5740 Prospect Ave. Dallas / 214.826.4410 / DallasSpanishHouse.com

69% of our readers say they want to know more about private schools.

ZION LUTHERAN SCHOOL

6121 E. Lovers Ln. Dallas / 214.363.1630/ ziondallas. org