A Tale of Two Pop-Ups: Curry on Christmas, Pad Thai on New Year's Eve

For anyone looking to escape the house on Christmas night (or avoid the madness of huge drunken New Year's Eve parties), two upcoming pop-ups will afford the chance to do just that.

On Christmas night at beloved dive bar Windmill Lounge, Lucia sous chef Justin Holt — known for his past ramen pop-ups — will host a curry pop-up starting at 10 p.m., as CraveDFW reported earlier today. Holt says he'll be serving both Japanese yellow pork curry and lamb jungle curry alongside the Indian flatbread known as paratha for free. (Hey, Merry Christmas.)

Then on New Year's Eve beginning at 8 p.m., laid-back Oak Cliff pub Ten Bells Tavern is importing a Thai pop-up concept all the way from Los Angeles: It's called Pranom and as bar owner Meri Dahlke explains, it's the side venture of L.A. actor Dream Kasestatad, who will be cooking family recipes (his grandmother had a Thai restaurant in Lubbock when he was growing up). Expect pad thai, pad see ew, and drunken noodles, each priced at $12; vegetarian options will be available, and it's cash only. (More info on the event page here.) If you've already got NYE plans, Pranom will also circle back after a stop in Austin for another Ten Bells pop-up on January 5. The menu for that event hasn't been finalized yet, but all the dishes will be $10.