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DrinkedIn Live to host Elizabeth Blau, Kim Canteenwalla of Crown BlockDrinkedIn Live to host Elizabeth Blau, Kim Canteenwalla of Crown Block

Las Vegas-based couple reopens iconic location among other restaurant industry projects

Ron Ruggless, Senior Editor

April 19, 2023

2 Min Read
DrinkedIn Live Kim Canteenwalla Elizabeth Blau Credit Bill Milne Crown Block Dallas Reunion Tower
Chef Kim Canteenwalla and Elizabeth Blau, in the new Crown Block atop Dallas’ Reunion Tower, will be guests on the April 20 DrinkedIn Live.Bill Milne/Crown Block

DrinkedIn Live this month will feature guests Elizabeth Blau and chef Kim Canteenwalla of Blau Associates, who this week re-opened the iconic Reunion Tower restaurant in Dallas as the fine-dining Crown Block.

The free conversation, scheduled for 4 p.m. EDT Thursday, April 20, on LinkedIn, will span topics from the new fine-dining Dallas restaurant, named for the top part of an oil rig, to the Women’s Hospitality Initiative, which Blau is championing. Sign up, listen in and ask questions here.

The steak and seafood Crown Block, developed with Hunt Realty Investments, offers a 360-degree view of Dallas’ skyline from its tower perch.

“Alongside our operating partner, Hunt Realty, we are proud to open our doors and welcome guests to an unmatched culinary experience that transcends a typical steakhouse,” Blau said in a statement. “It’s an honor to be part of the Reunion Tower story and have the privilege of serving a menu that brings forth the best of Texas hospitality with breathtaking views.”

The restaurant offers a range of steak and seafood offerings.

“Since the initial stages of imagining this concept, it was imperative for us to be part of the local culinary culture,” Canteenwalla said. “From working closely with small, local farms, ranchers and purveyors, Crown Block will offer the highest quality farm-raised meats and wild-caught seafood, capturing the true spirit of the Texas frontier and Gulf Coast.”

Related:DrinkedIn Live to feature Atlanta-based Rreal Tacos owners

A controversial decision was made to make the once-rotating restaurant, known previously as Antares and Wolfgang Puck’s Five Sixty, stationary to accommodate the bar and its views of the skyline.

The restaurant features a substantial wine list and cocktail program.

In addition to the restaurant, Crown Block offers an event space, called The Crown Room, located one floor below the restaurant. The Crown Room can accommodate 250-plus guests for a cocktail reception or 200 for a formal seated experience.

Blau, founder and CEO of restaurant development company, serves as a judge on CNBC’s “Restaurant Startup” and operates several restaurants in Las Vegas and Vancouver restaurant with her husband, Canteenwalla, including Buddy V’s Ristorante and Honey Salt. Blau and Canteenwalla co-authored “Honey Salt: A Culinary Scrapbook.”

Contact Ron Ruggless at [email protected]

Follow him on Twitter: @RonRuggless

About the Author

Ron Ruggless

Senior Editor, Nation’s Restaurant News / Restaurant Hospitality

Ron Ruggless serves as a senior editor for Informa Connect’s Nation’s Restaurant News (NRN.com) and Restaurant Hospitality (Restaurant-Hospitality.com) online and print platforms. He joined NRN in 1992 after working 10 years in various roles at the Dallas Times Herald newspaper, including restaurant critic, assistant business editor, food editor and lifestyle editor. He also edited several printings of the Zagat Dining Guide for Dallas-Fort Worth, and his articles and photographs have appeared in Food & Wine, Food Network and Self magazines. 

Ron Ruggless’ areas of expertise include foodservice mergers, acquisitions, operations, supply chain, research and development and marketing. 

Ron Ruggless is a frequent moderator and panelist at industry events ranging from the Multi-Unit Foodservice Operators (MUFSO) conference to RestaurantSpaces, the Council of Hospitality and Restaurant Trainers, the National Restaurant Association’s Marketing Executives Group, local restaurant associations and the Horeca Professional Expo in Madrid, Spain.

Ron Ruggless’ experience:

Regional and Senior Editor, Informa Connect’s Nation’s Restaurant News and Restaurant Hospitality (1992 to present)

Features Editor – Dallas Times Herald (1989-1991)

Restaurant Critic and Food Editor – Dallas Times Herald (1987-1988)

Editing Roles – Dallas Times Herald (1982-1987)

Editing Roles – Charlotte (N.C.) Observer (1980-1982)

Editing Roles – Omaha (Neb.) World-Herald (1978-1980)

Email: [email protected]

Social media:

Twitter@RonRuggless

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/ronruggless

Instagram: @RonRuggless

TikTok: @RonRuggless

 

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