Real Housewives, Foodies and Reality Stars Turn Out in Force for Storied Dallas Hotel’s New Restaurant: This Place is a Scene

What: Grand Opening of Perle on Maple 

Where: Le Meridien Dallas, The Stoneleigh 

PC Moment: It’s been a glamorous 95 years in Dallas for The Stoneleigh. Now, with the unveiling of Perle on Maple, a charming French restaurant, the storied hotel is starting a new chapter. The Stoneleigh welcomed 150 of its closest friends to celebrate the Perle’s grand opening and sample executive chef Wade Burch’s food.

Guests were greeted with a glasses of Moet Chandon, the Stoneleigh French 75 and the Lickety Spritz (my personal favorite – a sweet elixir of gin, prosecco, aperol, lemon, and rose simple syrup). After DHS chairman of the board Bill Helmbrecht and general manager Ben Olin gave their respective opening remarks, the crowd was treated to a champagne sabering by Chef Burch to toast the new restaurant. Live music from Trio Kavanah set the party mood.

Bubbles in tow, my friend-date and I took a lap around the freshly remodeled space – an airy corridor with white-washed walls and modern chandeliers – before heading out to the poolside patio to taste test the food.

Small plates of Colorado lamb with ratatouille and polenta, bacon-wrapped local quail, and Duroc pork belly were all tasty. The latter dish emerged as the unanimous favorite.

“The food is really good. I’m impressed. Where are the Real Housewives of Dallas, though?” My friend, an avid Housewives fan, mused. (I may or may not have promised her a sighting of local reality TV royalty.)

“LeeAnne is probably around here somewhere,” I half-joked.

And then, not a moment later, it was as if she had been summoned by the powers of Bravo: LeeAnne Locken was sitting in a bright-yellow top one table away from us.

Better yet, she was joined by her co-star, Heidi Dillon. The Bachelorette’s Jack Stone was also in attendance.

The experience was everything I wanted it to be, from my rose-flavored spritz to my brush with reality TV fame. I highly recommend.

Who: Vice President Justin Epps and Associate Nathan Nichols of Carey Watermark Investors Inc., the hotel’s ownership group, congratulated the attending Studio 11 Design team, Kellie Sirna, Michael Brown and Natalie Constable.  The guest list was made-up of A-listers including: Dallas Film Commission Executive Director Jonathan Brownlee; Dallas Arboretum CEO and President Mary Brinegar; philanthropists Lynn and Allan McBee and Patricia Meadows; former Dallas City member Veletta Lill; NBC 5’s traffic reporter Samantha Davies; reality TV stars LeeAnne Locken and Heidi Dillon of Bravo’s Real Housewives of Dallas and Jack Stone of The Bachelorette; and model and fashion show producer Jan Strimple, among others.