In the space now occupied by Wicked Butcher, which opened on the first floor of Comerica Bank Tower in January 2024, only a few remnants of the former Dallas Chop House remain: namely, the floor plan, the colossal complimentary popovers, and a menu that celebrates butcher cuts. Despite the changes, déjà vu hit the minute we entered. Splashy black-and-white hexagonal tiles had replaced the former dusty wooden floors, which in turn signaled a plethora of up-market improvements, ending with burnished saddles on the walls in the dining room. We started, as tradition demanded, by tearing apart a popover nearly the size of a grapefruit and smearing its flaky layers with whipped butter augmented with burnt-onion powder. Having starved ourselves for hours, we next ordered the 16-ounce dry-aged ribeye with lobster butter. Its virtues included a thick, well-browned crust embracing a bright red center. So far, so good. But as we progressed, we were reminded how fatty that cut can be, which led us to regret our choice of lobster butter (which strangely did not melt). Chimichurri sauce would have been a less calorific option. But we had no complaints with the accompaniments: corn crème brulée, with a delightfully crackly sugar crust, and roasted creminis in a glossy brown demi-glace. Next time, we look forward to a non-beef choice like salmon with green curry or ginger miso Chilean sea bass. And we’ll sit at the bar for memory’s sake and order a sentimental round of truffle Negronis like the ones that bartender Ravinder Singh made at the Chop House. Some things cannot be improved upon.