OTL’s Role:
Nusr-Et Dallas
LOCATION
Dallas, Texas
GENERAL CONTRACTOR
Benge Texas Inc.
DESIGN ARCHITECT
Tabanlioglu Architects
ARCHITECT OF RECORD
JonesBaker
PROJECT OVERVIEW
- Design
- Build
- Custom Rockwork Fabrication
- Etched Stone Art Feature
Nusr-Et Dallas is the Texas outpost of chef Nusret Gokce’s globally recognized steakhouse brand, known worldwide as Salt Bae. Its interior blends Turkish motifs with a sandstone wall etched with a larger-than-life portrait of its namesake, built for guest photos. OTL designed and built this signature feature alongside the project’s architecture team.
PROJECT
CHALLENGE
Nusr-Et wanted a wall that felt carved from solid stone while integrating with the kitchen’s fixtures, wine storage and code clearances. Every intersection between the rockwork and these elements demanded precise tolerances. Etching Salt Bae’s likeness into the surface required a creative solution, since hand-carving risked an inconsistent result.
OTL’S
SOLUTION
OTL coordinated with a team of architects to fit the rockwork within the restaurant’s tight constraints. To capture the portrait precisely, OTL traced the artwork into a scalable digital drawing, then used a computer-controlled cutter to create masks for sandblasting the image into hardened plaster. A dark stain finished the piece, contrasting against the sandstone’s texture.
PROJECT
IMPACT
Nusr-Et Dallas now features a one-of-a-kind etched art piece paying tribute to its famous chef and drawing guests in for photos. The wall has become one of the restaurant’s most recognizable backdrops, generating countless social media moments since opening.
