Tag Archives: Central 214

Central 214 Is Fresh And Better Than Ever

by Steven Doyle

I have written about Graham Dodds at Central 214 when he started working for the restaurant located in the Palomar Hotel located on Mockingbird, just a stone’s throw from the SMU campus. Without revisiting the article I know that I probably extolled the virtues of the man with high praise as he rolled out his first menu at 214. It was a shocking difference from what had been served previously at the restaurant and was offered with poise, balance and genuine thought.

Recently I revisited the restaurant when I heard a new menu was in play. What I found was breath taking.  Dodds culls his ingredients from local farmers and ranchers, as many do these days. But there is zeal in his efforts to work with these locals. I recognize everyone on his list of purveyors, and that to me is pretty awesome. I know where all this food is coming from. I have visited their farms and shaken their hands. This is how it is all supposed to work.          Continue reading

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Meet Central 214’s Lead Bartender Amber West

by Steven Doyle

As we have reported in the past, changes have occurred at Central 214 with the addition of Graham Dodds in the kitchen bringing his own remarkable spin on the farm to table cooking. Along with his wonderful menu (and we take a look at the latest incarnation of this menu early next week) Dodds  also recruited a special bartender, Amber West.

West comes from an incredible culinary family. You may recognize her brother Adam West most recently at ZaZa’s Dragonfly in Dallas, and since promoted as the executive chef at Monarch in Houston. Both siblings in the West family appreciate farm fresh ingredients and seek them out with enthusiasm.    Continue reading

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Central 214 Hires New GM Sean Kenneavy

by Crave Staff

Sean Kenneavy will be taking the helm in early June as the new general manager of Central 214, the acclaimed Kimpton restaurant adjacent to Hotel Palomar Dallas.  Bringing extensive management experience with positions locally as well as in New York City, Kenneavy will oversee service and operations for the restaurant as well as for hotel banquets.

Currently serving as GM at Bolsa, Kenneavy will soon join former colleague Chef Graham Dodds, who came on board as Central 214 executive chef early this year, transforming the menus to his celebrated rustic and rich farm-to-table fare.  In addition to front-of-the-house duties, among Kenneavy’s first orders of business will be developing an extensive new wine list to perfectly complement Dodds’ cuisine.          Continue reading

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