When new multi-level condos are built, exciting restaurants tend to pop up close by.
On Dec. 1, Beyond the Box, an upscale deli/convenience store became the third retail business to open at ilume, one of Dallas’ new hot spots for high living.

The eatery, which bills itself as a café and market, provides patrons with exciting, exotic and tasteful meal options.  Co-owners Douglas Brown and Jason Foss refer to these options as ‘Inspired Meal Solutions,’ according to Beyond’s Web site.

Both Brown and Foss are award-winning chefs, who were both named in D Magazine’s ‘Best of 2002′ issue.

According to the Web site, they “believe a freshly prepared meal can stimulate the mind, energize the body and feed the soul.”

This appears to be true based on the overall experience the café offers.

First there are lots of interesting, exotic meal solutions at Beyond. The café features soups, salads, sandwiches, smoothies, prepared food, and meats and cheeses, which can be paired with wine options.

I chose the apricot glazed salmon and the green beans almondine. The salmon was prepared well with a slight hint of apricot, which added to the flavor of the dish.  The green beans were crisp, fresh, well seasoned and topped with almonds. They tasted like those served in a fine-dining restaurant.   

The pork shanks were tender, fell off the bone and well-marinated. They were paired with the vanilla bean sweet potatoes, which were simply delightful.  The vanilla flavoring was just right and did not overpower the meal.  The dish was light and fluffy, a good addition to the pork shanks.

There is a wide selection of beverages to choose from.  They are displayed in convenience styled refrigerators towards the back of the café. Patrons can choose beer or wine by the bottle, and the café features a wine tasting every Tuesday from 6-8 p.m.

The salad bar, which costs $7.95 per pound, features the freshest vegetables and fruits alike.

There are also lots of desserts to choose from, some of which are  packaged in to-go containers.  There is also gigantic cake pieces which come in two flavors.
A full service coffee bar serves chai tea, hot chocolate and locally roasted coffee that was hand selected by the owners, among other things.

At Beyond there are three main promotions that run every day:

There is “The Dot,”which allows patrons to take 50 percent off of items that have a red dot on them.  They also have a special that allows you to receive half-price coffee for life with the purchase of a Beyond the Box mug and an “afternoon delight” lunch special for $5.95.
One of the owners previously worked at Eatzi’s as a chef. He brought his experience at that restaurant to this new concept.

According to Eric Guerrieri, director of operations, the café is unique because it provides lots of options for patrons.

He said there are “natural and organic personal care items and pet items as well. The market also has traditional items found at stores, such as magazines and pain relievers.”
Free Wi Fi is available and thanks to the two big screen TV’s patrons will not miss any of their favorite sports games.

Beyond the Box is located at 4123 Cedar Springs, Suite 105.

For more information call 214-520-6623 or visit the restaurants Web site at  www.foodbeyondthebox.com.