Kismet Lounge

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By SUNNI THOMPSON / Dallas Web Staff

The name alone begs for any number of pun-ny introductory lines: "It was kismet that we went to Kismet" and "Kiss me at Kismet" are just the first two that spring to mind.

Puns aside, the bar itself is pretty darn cool - sort of lounge-y with a splash of opium den, which is to be expected since Kismet is the creation of Beau and Ali Nazary, owners of the neighboring Cafe Izmir. And the location is fabulous - you can start your night with dinner at Gloria's or Cafe Izmir, head to Kismet for after-dinner drinks, then drop by the Granada for a show or the Red Jacket for dancing. While you might be blowing buckets of cash on an evening out on the town, you'll be saving money, too - on Dallas' ubiquitous parking and valet fees.

Our Kismet visit began at 9 p.m. on a Saturday night (no cover for now, though one may be added later). The bar was empty enough to move through easily, but there were just enough people to fill the available bar stools and couches. So we headed outside to the patio. Complete with heaters and cushy little seats, the patio is - in my humble opinion - the place to be. It was so separated from the rest of the bar, in fact, that when we stood up to leave at midnight we had to fight our way through the pack of people who had sardined themselves into the main room. At this point, it seems that no one knows the patio exists.

Of course, if you want to see and be seen, stay inside the bar. The little twinkly lights in the ceiling are mesmerizing, especially when the alternative is the back of the head of the person in front of you.

My drink of choice for the evening was a house white wine, which happened to be the very cool Luna di Luna, at the fancy price of $8.50 a glass (the last bottle I purchased of this was only $12 retail). The wait staff was friendly, prompt and - except for a minor incident of charging my drinks in separate transactions, forcing me to leave with wads of receipts - efficient.

For those with lots of friends or a special occasion in mind, a side room can be reserved for private parties; it will seat around 30 - or 40 if you prefer to go SRO. Original plans called for a Mediterranean menu to debut soon after the opening, but due to the Dallas smoking ban, all plans for food have been scrapped.

Oh, and I've thought of another opener: Martini, straight up, with a twist of Kismet. (Twist of fate, get it?)

Published on DallasNews.com: 03.28.03