Noemi Chiriac is the new owner of The Metropolitan Cafe, located at 2032 Main Street in Dallas. A long time patron, Noemi admired the cafe for its menu, ambiance, and history. When she learned it was for sale, and possibly facing conceptual changes, Noemi told What Now Dallas how she stepped away from her job in engineering to embark on a new role: restaurant owner.
“I just loved the cafe, the history in its walls – and the croissant sandwiches,” Noemi said. “I just wanted to see that continue.”
According to a release, the building was built in 1913 as a Western Union office where both Lee Harvey Oswald and Jack Ruby received telegrams and was the Western Union office Ruby went to just 5 minutes before shooting Oswald.
While she can’t commit to an exact open date, she hopes to reopen by late November. In the meantime, she plans to update colors and decor a bit, but make no changes to the friendly atmosphere that’s long been established.
“I will be there daily, greeting guests and helping staff. That is something the previous owner did very well.” Noemi and Chef Randall Braud are also enthusiastic about the addition of a chef-inspired menu and cocktail hour.
“Breakfast and lunch is going to be a mix of old classics and a few of my own,” Braud told What Now Dallas. “Cocktail hour will be from around 4:30 to 8, which is where I’ll really be flexing my culinary muscles. That’s what I’m most excited about.”
Noemi says she looks forward to getting to know guests when the restaurant reopens. “I am excited to have good food, make people happy, brighten their day with a good meal in a good environment on their way to work. People are less grumpy when they are fed.”
