Doma owners share opening date, details about the restaurant’s ‘small plates’ approach
The massive building sat deserted for four years, and when the Asian Super Buffet restaurant next door closed at the start of the pandemic, the northwest side of Towne East Square became a rather lonely place.
Now, that’s all about to change. Max Cole, who owns the 13,000-square-foot building where Carlos O’Kelly’s operated from 2002 until it closed in 2017, is almost ready to open in the space a swank new restaurant with a big-city vibe.
Doma, which will be run by a trio of men who built their careers in California and Arizona, is set to open at 7703 E. Douglas on Jan. 15. And although crews are still busy putting finishing touches on the space, I got a tour earlier this week and gathered more details about the restaurant, which will operate a bit differently than what Wichitans are used to.
Here’s a list of five things to know about Doma while Wichita waits for Jan. 15 to arrive.
1. It will serve “small plates” only: Doma’s owners want Wichitans to utilize their sharing skills when they visit the restaurant, which won’t offer “composed entrees” with a protein and sides. Instead, the menu is filled with “small plates” intended to be shared by a table. The idea, said chef Joseph Castillo, is that a party of two would order four to six different items and share them.
Late last week, Castillo released on social media a “sample menu” of dishes he has planned, just to see how Wichita reacted. (You can see that menu below.) It listed appetizer options like potted smoked cheese, smoked carrots, and charred shishito peppers as well as several upscale salads and meat dishes like a smoked half chicken, a grilled hanger steak and pork ribs. (The full menu also has items like crispy Brussels sprouts and pork belly bao buns, and the chef also is considering adding four different sandwiches, including a pork belly banh mi.)
The idea is that diners can customize their experiences, he said. The menu allows for people who want to stop in for just appetizers and cocktails as well as those who want a full dinner to all get what they’re after. The chef also said he plans to change a portion of the menu every week so that there’s always something new when people visit.
“This is truly going to be innovative and push the boundaries of food,” Castillo said. “We’re going to try stuff, and if it works, it works. If it doesn’t? Guess what? We can change the menu at the end of the week.”
2. It will have a unique indoor/outdoor area: The new restaurant has three different sections. The main indoor area includes a big bar right at the entrance and a dining room with seating for 100. But the massive east side of the building will serve as an indoor/outdoor dining area that features a wall of folding doors that open it to the outside. Instead of traditional tables and chairs, it will be filled with sofas, love seats, coffee tables and side tables with lamps and will offer seating for about 80.
“It’s going to feel like you’re sitting in somebody’s living room,” Castillo said.
People seated on that side of the restaurant will still be able to order from the full menu, he said.
3. Its patio will be dog friendly: The indoor/outdoor room will open onto a big outdoor patio area, which will feature a small area covered by a pergola and lots of open space where customers can play yard games, sit by a fire pit and hang out with their dogs. The outdoor space will be bordered by hanging plants and bistro lights and furnished with adirondack chairs and picnic tables.
“It will have kind of a communal feel,” Castillo said. “People can walk from Eastborough and Rockwood with their pups and have a nice, cool experience.”
4. Its dining room is filled with murals by a Wichita artist: One of the main things people will notice stepping into the Doma dining room is a large number of murals, all painted by local artist Mark D. Pendergrass, who also has done mural work at places like Bosley’s Tire & Wheel, R&J Discount Liquor and Livingston’s Diner. The murals fill nearly every wall of the main dining room, which is done in shades of red and black, and they depict dramatic flowers and women in provocative poses. (Restaurant owner Max Cole didn’t want photos of the dining room taken until he’s ready for its grand reveal.)
5. It’ll serve dinner only... at first: The owners plan to be open for dinner only for the restaurant’s first few months. Hours will likely be 4 to 10 p.m. on weekdays and 4 to 11 p.m. on weekends. In April, Doma will add a Saturday and Sunday brunch, which will include both small plates and composed egg dishes as well as a raw bar. After that, it will add lunch service.
Doma “preview” menu
This story was originally published December 7, 2021 at 9:48 AM.
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