Restaurant closures have become something of a plague lately in Dallas-Fort Worth. Following the discontinuation of several Liberty Burger locations, two Mexican food spots on Lower Greenville and a fancy Cafe Express, we've received word that two more eateries have closed up shop.
Jasper's in Plano and IdleRye in Deep Ellum are no longer serving.
Japser's opened in 2003 in the Shops at Legacy development. It was billed as serving "gourmet backyard cuisine," meaning a mix of sandwiches, pizzas and entrees such as an angus tenderloin filet, smoked baby back ribs and trout. The restaurant was one of several opened by notable chef, Kent Rathbun, before 2016 when he split with his namesake restaurant group that continued to operate that spot and others, including Abacus and the now-defunct Hickory.
In a statement Monday, the Abacus Jasper's Restaurant Group said it would not renew Jasper's lease in Plano.
"Concurrent with the expiration of our lease agreement with The Shops at Legacy, we have decided to permanently close our Plano location," says the statement. Its last day was Nov. 4. The Jasper's location in Richardson remains open, according to the statement.
IdleRye was a go-to spot for cocktails and elevated bar food in Deep Ellum. According to the Dallas Observer, the restaurant closed quietly recently, simply posting a "closed for business" sign on the door.
IdleRye received two stars in an October 2017 review by GuideLive contributing critic Mark Vamos, who lauded the pierogis and sausage sandwich but said some of the other items weren't as well executed.
The beef belly was "marinated overnight, confited for 12 to 14 hours in ribeye fat, then sliced and grilled and presented on a fried slice of baguette and topped with arbol-chile aioli, plus a sauce of caramelized onions and raisins, all dressed with arugula, frisée, sliced radishes, blue cheese and crispy garlic. Whew! All that turns out to be a confusing jumble in which the substantial but reticent virtues of the beef get lost," he wrote.
