The $36 million dollar question is this: Can the renovated Stoneleigh hotel retain its quirky, historic allure while enticing a whole new food crowd?

In a word, yes. Or should we say: Bolla.

That's the name of the Stoneleigh's new restaurant and adjoining bar, conceived by 33-year old chef David Bull (CIA-trained, Mansion on Turtle Creek alum, James Beard nominee, Iron Chef challenger – you get the idea).

Bull and La Corsha Hospitality Group president Jeffrey Trigger, both riding high from their success revitalizing Austin's historic Driskill Hotel and restaurant, have worked the same mojo here in Dallas.

We admit some trepidation. After all, the hotel's former shadowy and imposing Lion's Den had been one of our favorite spots for atmospheric interviews, fueling literary fantasies of witty Algonquin Round Table repartee.

So part of us winced when we heard those heavy paneled walls had been knocked down, but the opened space achieves a lighter, though still grand, elegance. More surprises: A hidden arch fronting the long hallway was uncovered and restored. Giant metal letters from the hotel's original rooftop sign now hang in glory on the dining room wall.

In the adjoining lounge, a curvy art deco bar bridges the marbled front lobby to the new restaurant. Drinks are served beneath a gallery of autographed photos of celebrated past guests: Andy Warhol mused here with clients Patsy and Raymond Nasher. Director Oliver Stone held court during the filming of JFK. (One former guest recalls arriving in the bar to find a bevy of "Jackie Kennedys" nursing cocktails before a casting call.)

Drippy crystal chandeliers continue the glam vintage vibe. In another corner, a cluster of spherical mod pendants create a constellation of chic, illuminating the guests raising toasts below.

Some things, thankfully, never change.

Bull had carte blanch to create any type of menu he wanted for Bolla. He says the choice was easy: "I love Italian food. It's really that simple."

Makes sense, considering Bull grew up in an Italian family in upstate New York and worked his way up in his grandparents' small eatery.

"I can't do French, I can't do Japanese. We're not trying to fuse anything together," he says. No, this is straightforward Italian cuisine made from regional ingredients, to which Bull brings a decidedly up-to-date twist.

Consider the pork belly. (Was that a record-needle scratch we just heard?) "Pork belly is not the most popular protein in Italy," Bull says. No kidding, though his version could change that. The meat is cured with fennel, anise and black pepper, then roasted, braised and pan-seared in a spicy red pepper diavolo sauce. Imported buffalo mozzarella gelato topped with pork cracklins completes the plate.

"To me, that says modern Italian at its finest," Bull says. "You've got refined preparation, but done with traditional ingredients."

Other fresh touches include a roasted beet salad starter with amaretto crème fraîche, and a sweet finish of mini cannoli with blackberry compote.

For those having a hard time deciding, there's the ball'azurro, "out of the blue," a six-course tasting menu based on the chef's daily inspirations with appropriate wine pairings.

"We want to make things as simple as possible so that guests can simply focus on the experience and be encouraged to come back several times a week," Bull says. "This should be a neighborhood restaurant."

That mix of casual familiarity and high glamour has always been key to the Stoneleigh's appeal.

The Lion's Den may be no more, but there's an over-the-top crimson velvet banquette in Bolla Bar that may be just as eccentric a spot for lingering conversations.

We'll order up a martini and let you know.

E-mail cwynn@dallasnews.com

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