After a yearlong closure, Meridian reopened Friday, Oct. 17, now with its eye on fostering an environment that rests somewhere between fine-dining and casual fare.
The restaurant originally debuted in 2021 under founding chef Junior Borges, who built it as a canvas for his Brazilian heritage, serving coastal fare like chili vinaigrette-coated octopus, fluke crudo, and blue prawn moqueca. Meridian quickly earned Eater Dallas’ 2021 Restaurant of the Year, followed by a 2023 James Beard semifinalist nod for Borges.
That same year, Borges left his post, which oversaw all concepts at The Village. Meridian temporarily shuttered mid 2024 and headed to the drawing board.
“This version of Meridian is about bringing people in more often, for cocktails after work, for dinner with friends, or for celebrating with family,” said Brandy Spence, vice president of food and beverage for The Village, in a press release. “We wanted to build something around community — a place that feels welcoming while delivering the exceptional food and hospitality that defines Meridian.”
At the front lines of Meridian’s reinvention is executive chef Eduardo Osorio, a Los Angeles transplant who spent the last year refining a globe-trotting, live-fire-focused menu.
“This menu is about finding finesse in simplicity,” said Osorio. “Cooking over fire brings out layers of flavor that feel both soulful and celebratory. We’ve created food meant to be shared, approachable dishes that bring people together while still carrying the craftsmanship and creativity that define The Village’s culinary culture.”
Signature dishes include wagyu tallow-seared oysters with pancetta and espelette; foie and sea island cornbread with brown butter; and the Buzzed and Aged Burger with gruyere and caramelized onions. Pastas span lumache lamb bolognese, Hokkaido scallop, and pork ragu verde. Among the entrees, which are centered around hearth fire cooking, are the Snake River white sturgeon with chanterelles and creamed leeks; a 21-day dry-aged ribeye with smoked tomato bordelaise; and roasted branzino with nduja sofrito, fennel, and lemon verbena.
Meridian will also debut a $99 Sunday Supper for three to four guests featuring fried chicken, cornbread, charred broccolini, pimento grits, and dessert, with 20% of sales benefitting local nonprofit Meat Fight.