Carte Blanche Abruptly Shutters

Carte Blanche, a tasting menu restaurant on Lower Greenville, announced it is closing its doors, effective immediately. All existing reservations, which are pre-paid, will be refunded, an email to the restaurant’s mailing list said.

The restaurant, which was owned by chef Casey La Rue and baker Amy La Rue, opened in 2020. It earned five stars from Fobes’s Travel Guide in 2023 and a five diamond designation from AAA in 2022.

“We have been considering what to do with this space for quite some time,” the owners wrote. “While our dinner service is great, it struggles in this area, as most people don’t come to Greenville for a fancy dinner. Our bakery does well, but transitioning to a 100% bakery would require a significant investment in expensive equipment. Both options would also necessitate substantial structural upgrades. After many discussions and chats with others, we received an offer to sell the space and let someone else take it over. The timing felt right, so we decided to move on.”

The announcement was also posted on Instagram.

Casey La Rue was accused of falsifying his resume in a report published in the Dallas Morning News in 2022. La Rue refuted the accusations, telling Eater Dallas, “I have never claimed that I held a highly ranked position at these restaurants or worked there for a long time. In fact, I have been very clear that I worked at the very bottom rung at each of these restaurants.” He added that invoking those experiences was “to show the aspirations I have for Carte Blanche.”

The duo teased an announcement about future plans that is to come soon. They also urged other restauranteurs to considering hiring the staff, many of whom are in immediate need of new positions.

Additionally, the couple will sell their existing wine inventory at cost this Saturday and Sunday from 1 to 3 p.m. from the restaurant.