By Deb Silverthorn

Bienvenidos and Baruch haba come together at Meat and Rolls, the newest addition to the lineup of Dallas Kosher-certified eateries in Dallas. Owner Yakir Deri has created a Tex-Mex menu, with Middle Eastern flair, that welcomed hundreds of customers each day of its opening week to its location at 13251 Montfort Drive.

“What a welcome! What a great week so far! It’s just busier every day,” said Deri. “People are trying so many of the choices, they’re crazy for the churros and the feedback has been great.

“I spent all my free time helping my parents in their catering business when I was a kid. For every Shabbat, I helped with cooking and delivering for events. I just loved how happy people were when they received something delicious,” added the restaurateur, a pandemic-season transplant from Israel.

Born and raised in Israel, he met his future wife Linoy when the two were young teens. After serving in the Israel Defense Forces, the son of Shulamit and Yosef took his experiences of helping his parents to build his first Meat and Rolls restaurant.

Located in Mitzpei Ramon, near Eilat, for more than 15 years, the successful restaurant was a casualty of COVID-19.

“We were in lockdown and lost it all,” said Deri. “I had dreamed about coming to the United States for a long time and it seemed like a good time to take a chance. I had friends in Dallas and told my wife I’d go for just a month and see what it was like. A month later, I sent for her and the children. It’s the best decision we could have made.”

His family lives in the North Eruv and is involved with Chabad of Dallas. The Deri children — Shoham, Zohar and Romi — are students at Akiba Yavneh Academy.

For nearly four years, Deri worked with friends in a number of businesses, waiting for the right opportunity to return to the restaurant business.

“The right opportunity and the right time is now,” says Deri. He has been joined at the grill for the restaurant’s first few months by his brothers Aviv and David. In Israel, along with his parents and extended family, are brothers Afik — serving in Gaza with the IDF — and Shimon.

“I love Israel, but the people here have welcomed us, supported us,” said Deri. “With planning and opening the restaurant, it is very special to see how much people want to help us to succeed.”

Working with Dallas Kosher, Deri connected to suppliers, met their requirements and created an open-concept restaurant where guests can watch their meals being prepared. The casual eatery’s menu has many vegan and pareve selections. All tortillas and wraps are pas Yisroel. There are handheld pockets, soft taco style; options of burger, BBQ brisket, Korean beef and chimichurri steak; as well as grilled and spicy chicken choices. Pareve avocado and lime crème dressings and cheese, fish tacos, falafel and roasted veggie pockets, tortilla wraps, salads and bowls are among all the options.

“We loved our experience opening night. Even with the crowd, Yakir made sure our meals were correct. My 6-year-old told me it was only her first time, but she wants to go back every day,” said Dallas resident Naomi Vaknin, who ordered dinner in and some items to go for her own family and guests in town from Israel. “We had steak wraps, chicken, a burger taco and chicken strips. We’re absolutely in love with the Tex-Mex/Israeli fusion.”

Dinner on opening night was also a hit for Esther and Nick Taussig, who ventured out to the restaurant with their two young children.

“We tried all four of the beef appetizers and found distinct flavors that were quite appetizing. The burrito is something we’d order again for sure. We believe Yakir is making Meat and Rolls a great addition to the kosher selections in the area.”

Watching the lines grow and the guests’ excitement was Rabbi David Shawel, DK’s director of supervision, who worked with Deri to bring the restaurant to its opening. As he raised a champagne toast with a full house and a blessing of “borei pri hagafen,” Shawel’s ruach could barely be contained.

“Look around! There’s so much to be excited about. It’s such a thrill,” he said. “Sh’ein k’mahu — you can’t compare this to anything. I came here 40 years ago and there was nothing like any of the wonderful offerings we have with so many choices.

“We now have beautiful restaurants and shopping opportunities. With each space our community is educated and enhanced,” Shawel added. “Seeing the support of those going out to eat and the restaurant owners to one another is just beautiful.”

Deri says the Dallas Kosher crew has guided his team from A to Z to get open and running. He’s seen that support firsthand.

“Since we moved here we go to almost every kosher restaurant almost every week and when I let owners know what I’m doing, they have been great,” he said. “They’ve given me names of suppliers, advised me and assured me what I was doing was a good idea. Competition is a rough word but competition among friends is a good thing. Hopefully the more places and choices there are, the more people will want to get out.”

Meat and Rolls is online at meatnrolls.com and on Instagram @meat_rollstx. The restaurant, which has applied for a liquor license, is open Sunday through Thursday from noon to 9:30 p.m. and on Saturday nights from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m.