Larsen and Kasey Wilkes revamped and renamed their restaurant, Bordeaux’s, in Kyle last year. Previously an
upscale steakhouse, the tapas bar’s high-quality, low-cost dishes now draw a broader clientele, Larsen said.[/caption] Larsen and Kasey Wilkes said they needed to try something new in their business model. The owners of the former Bordeaux's on Kyle's Center Street were not seeing the same returns as they were at their larger fine dining establishment in Dripping Springs. That is why they closed the restaurant in October and reopened it two months later as Dark Horse Lodge. "The dark horse is the guy who people don't think is going to make it," Larsen said. "We felt like that. We felt like we just couldn't seem to make it to win with the other place." The rebranding effort paid off: the once-empty tables are now flush with people on most nights, Larsen said. Its clientele has also become more diverse. The suits and ties and cocktail dresses are now joined by coveralls and jumpsuits. Dark Horse Lodge serves Texas tapas and drinks. The 22 tapas on the menu range in price from $3.95 to $11.95. "The market here we thought would support this type of concept a lot stronger, and they've proven us right," Larsen said. Serving high-quality foods at low prices proved to be a fit in the Kyle market, he said. Much of the produce used in the dishes are bought at the Buda Farmers' Market, and the quail used in the Sweet Chili BBQ Quail Legs is purchased from Texas Quail Farms in Lockhart. "It's like bar food at another level," Larsen said. "The whole premise of the whole thing was to stay away from pizza, burgers, nachos [and] chicken strips." The Wilkeses are also expanding the entertainment at Dark Horse Lodge. The restaurant features live music about two to three times a week, and the establishment has two stages, one indoors and another on the patio, which is receiving upgrades. By the end of June, Dark Horse Lodge will have introduced a second bar on the patio. The 1,800-square-foot space accommodates 40–60 people and is air-conditioned, Larsen said. The drink menu features 25 signature cocktails, many with names bearing historical significance in the Hays County area. Smores Under the Auction Oak, which contains coffee liqueur, represents the oak tree under which county auctions used to be conducted. "We kind of wanted to be true to our community by naming the [menu after] things that are in our community," Larsen said, adding it is a sign of respect to the heritage of the area. Larsen said he has changed the tapas menu several times since opening the restaurant in December. The fluidity keeps things interesting for his patrons, he said. "That's what's fun about tapas, too, is you don't have to adhere to one particular theme," he said. "You can do whatever you want. People love it, and they're excited to see what you come up with next."