Hello, My Dear Mirador!

It’s been the talk of the town from the start, when the announcement was made that style mecca Forty Five Ten’s new downtown store would be capped with a high-end restaurant run by The Joule hotel. Not just lunch but also dinner would be offered at Mirador, overseen by The Joule’s executive chef, Junior Borges, the culinary talent who opened Uchi Dallas and backed up Matt McCallister at modernist-leaning FT33. When lunch service began at Mirador in December, word began spreading of must-try dishes. When dinner service opened, it was time to taste for myself.

I pulled into Forty Five Ten’s courtyard off Elm Street on a recent evening after store business hours, handed off the keys and stepped inside. Security staff whisked me to an elevator; a few seconds later, the doors opened to the serene penthouse foyer with a display of exquisitely clad mannequins fronting portraits of style icons—a reminder I was most definitely in a fashion emporium, and a top-tier one at that.

To the left is a sultry lounge space with an inviting marble-top bar. Multiple intimate tables line a wall of windows, each cozy space cocooned in fabric on three sides, the fourth open to downtown views.

The main dining space is welcoming with floor-to-ceiling windows, wrapped by terrace seating that overlooks Main Street and the green space where artist Tony Tasset’s striking “Eye” sculpture keeps watch over The Joule. City lights sparkle behind mesh drapes. Artful lighting warms the room. Against a neutral background, decorative colors pop: boldly striped Knoll fabric covering comfy seating; huge photos depicting blossom-bedecked nouvelle cuisine; amethyst orchids that grace each table.