Balletcore and Beribboned Candelabras — Scenes from the Reopening of Mirador in Downtown Dallas

After a long hibernation, our beloved room with a view atop Forty Five Ten is ready to welcome you again for lunch or tea. Ahead of the opening, the team at Headington Cos. (the masterminds behind The Joule, the hotel’s lobby restaurants — CBD and Sassetta, and Forty Five Ten) had been working 24/7 to get Mirador ready for the much-anticipated preview party.

The creative team was inspired by balletcore and avant-garde patisserie trends rooted in London and New York (who doesn’t love those spots for a night on the town?). They went with some classic elements — black-tie waiters, sparkling crystal, and a string quintet but threw in some whimsy as well. I was enchanted by the beribboned candelabras and a custom burlwood cart delivering chicken bites and fries (one of my four basic food groups) on trays of polished silver. And when I bumped into the divine Missy Peck she exclaimed, “I love the tulle bunting. It’s a princess moment.”

I did a few laps and saw many old and a few new friends. A spotted Tim Headington by the 12-foot-long dessert table, one of the night’s showstopping pieces. Featuring a 9-foot-long pavlova (the Mirador signature), the display was dotted with sugared seasonal fruits, passionfruit tarts, hazelnut truffles with white chocolate bows, and chocolate manjari tarts with sugared pearls. A pair of croquembouches served as the crowning finish.

Additional menu highlights included a seafood tower with individual caviar service in mini tins, bite-size lobster rolls, and the return of Mirador’s famous Whipped Ricotta Toast and Caviar Deviled Eggs. A few of the passed bites, including the Smoked Cucumber Sandwich and Tuna Tartare Niçoise were a preview of the modern afternoon tea Mirador will be hosting on Saturdays.

I eventually made it to the bar for a much-needed glass of holiday cheer. Guests were given a preview of drinks from the new menu, including the French Spritz (Mirador’s take on the French 75) and a New York Sour featuring a bourbon washed with milk, simple syrup, and lemon juice before being clarified. Another highlight: the Gin & Rosemary Situation dressed up for the holiday with cranberries. I ended up gathering a group and enjoying the night air (quite cloudy and resembling Gotham City from some Batman flick) on the balcony. Those in awe of the view of the city included Lisa Shaddock, Zoe Bonnette, and Kit Sawers.

Others that I was fortunate enough to air kiss throughout the evening included Nancy Gopez, Derek Wilson, Apryl Churchill, Jane Rozelle, Maggie Kipp, Vodi Cook, Nile Nussbaumer, Kwame Opoku, Rachel Scoggins, Richard Rivas, Stephanie and JR Roberts, Vatana Watters, Sydney Watters, Christina Geyer, Myrna and Bob Schlegel, Kim and Justin Whitman, Sharon Lee Clark, and Joyce Goss.

Make your way to Mirador tout suite. We think a bright and airy space is the ideal setting to linger over lunch or brunch, enjoy afternoon tea, and stay for a cocktail in the adjacent lounge. Particularly if you are deep in the throes of a marathon shopping downstairs at Forty Five Ten. They are open Tuesday through Saturday from 11 am to 3 pm with Tea Service exclusively on Saturdays (11 am to 3 pm).