Meet Leftovers, Bishop Arts’ Beloved Restaurant Patio Cat

The speak of Bishop Arts is the unofficial mascot of three completely different businesses, a well-known face to neighbors, and a budding social media star. A chicken-loving cat named Leftovers has received over the hearts of Oak Cliff diners.

We dug deep, studying his actual identify—it’s Bishop, not Leftovers—and monitoring his every day routine. Here, for the primary time, is the entire story of a member of the Ten Bells Tavern cat colony who has developed a mythology all his personal. While Ten Bells completes work on its new location, Leftovers has change into a nomad, in pursuit of the 2 issues he loves most: consideration, and hen.

He’ll settle for pets from anyone, however he’s very specific concerning the hen.

We spoke to 5 of the cat’s buddies and enablers to be taught extra.

Leftovers arrives on the scene

Meri Dahlke, proprietor, Ten Bells Tavern: One day I got here right here, as a result of I feed [the Ten Bells cats] each day, and there’s this attractive new cat. He is gorgeous. I assumed he was any individual’s cat as a result of he’s so pleasant, and he was already TNR’d [trapped, neutered, released]. His ear was chipped. He sort of joined. He was at all times right here after which someday I drove as much as go feed him and I noticed him on the steps of La Bodega. I put my window down and yelled, “What are you doing?” He adopted my automobile. I referred to as the ower, Skye [McDaniel], and apologized, “I’m sorry my cat is on your doorstep.” She stated, “Are you kidding me? That’s Leftovers. Our chef Bryan feeds him.” And then I discovered Jimmy [Contreras, across the street at Taco y Vino] feeds him too. I used to be like, “You little hooker! how dare you? You betrayed me! You came to me this poor cat, and now you’re spreading it up the street.”

Skye McDaniel, chef-owner, La Bodega: I feel he spends most of his time at our spot as a result of we don’t have folks eating in. If they eat, they eat exterior. He can beg from folks on the market, and I feel they normally oblige. For some time we have been involved after we didn’t know he was [Meri’s], pitching in, caring for him. Jimmy stated, “He’s good, he makes his rounds, he only eats chicken.”

He’s received intellectual tastes for a kitty. You’re an out of doors cat being fed by two of one of the best meals suppliers in Bishop Arts? He’s a fortunate boy. He’s dwelling a life.

Meri Dahlke, proprietor, Ten Bells Tavern

Jimmy Contreras, proprietor, Taco y Vino: How Leftovers and I received tight was, the primary winter freeze, Meri couldn’t get down right here. I used to be going over to check out the store, decide up wine, and I feel there have been a pair instances we’d have cooked in right here as a result of I didn’t have energy in the home.

Dahlke: I informed Skye, you possibly can name him Leftovers, we will name him Bishop. He can have a twin persona. I’m simply glad that individuals love him.

His every day routine

McDaniel: My chef, Bryan, is the sweetest man on the planet and a complete sucker. He will get there at 8 a.m. and he has a complete routine with Leftovers. Bryan waters the vegetation, we give Leftovers a brand new cup of water, and when Bryan goes in, he comes out and brings a deal with of hen. If I change shifts with Bryan, Leftovers is sitting on the entrance of the steps, ready.

Bryan Driver, chef, La Bodega: He waits for me within the morning and he’s the primary one to greet me on the store at 8 a.m. each morning. I look ahead to getting there as a result of I do know he’s ready for me. I don’t wish to be late for him.

Nicole Gossling, former prepare dinner, La Bodega: Bryan is his greatest sucker, as a result of even when he simply received hen, if he seems at Bryan with these unhappy eyes, Bryan has to go in and get him just a little bit extra hen.

Driver: Skye is aware of the sport he’s taking part in. To me it’s extra like, oh he loves me, he’s ready for me.

Dahlke: He sort of makes the rounds. “I’m going to come here for breakfast, I’m going to go over here for second breakfast, I’m going to go over to Ten Bells for an early lunch.” When I used to be in Spain a very long time in the past, I went to this bar, and there was a bunch of outdated retired males. The bartender informed me, “Oh, they’re retired, they just go all day from bar to bar to bar.” That’s what I equate it to.

Contreras: We have been joking about it the opposite day. “There goes Leftovers!” Just saunters throughout the road, no rush. He’s not shifting quick for anybody.

We each regarded for that affection each day. And, in fact, the hen for him.

Nicole Gossling, former prepare dinner, La Bodega

McDaniel: He reveals up after we’re opening and shutting and he is aware of the 5 o’clock hour is when lots of people are coming and consuming exterior. On our entrance of home duties sheet for closing at night time, it’s like, herald tables and chairs, give Leftovers his deal with, end your closing duties.

Gossling: At the tip of my shift, once I took out the rubbish, I had just a little hen for him and introduced him new water. It wasn’t on the finish of the day. It wasn’t on the finish of anyone’s shift. It grew to become a factor that everyone on employees was enthusiastic about, to provide this candy little boy some hen and a few pets.

McDaniel: He sleeps subsequent to our stairs, behind bushes. He seems like a useless animal. I additionally assume that he’s that strategic. He seems pathetic and sizzling, and like he can’t. He simply wants the hen that you’ve got in your bag! In my thoughts, I’m like, that is all a ploy, dialing up his adorability. He’ll go out in our backyard on his again.

Contreras: We see Leftovers come out and I’ll ask the kitchen for just a little little bit of hen tinga, put it in an 8 ounce soup container, and put it out for him. We all know he solely eats hen.

McDaniel: I by no means see some other cats aside from Leftovers. Bryan mentions there’s just a little black kitty coming round now and again. He’s dubbed Scraps. This is gonna be an costly invoice. Organic hen shouldn’t be low-cost!

Yes, he solely eats hen

Contreras: I put carnitas on the market, carne asada, and he solely eats hen. We at all times have water on the market for Leftovers. We would set meat on the market—untouched. Didn’t even take a look at it. Didn’t paw it. Chicken (snaps fingers) gone. Originally, I [named him Leftovers because I] thought he was gonna eat leftovers, you understand what I imply? And then he solely ate hen tinga!

Gossling: I attempted to provide him the hen pores and skin, however he didn’t appear to need crispies. He simply needs contemporary pulled hen.

Contreras: I didn’t know that! [That he only eats chicken everywhere else, too.] I believed he didn’t like my different meats. I used to be like, “Dude! These are some of the best carnitas in town! And you’re only going for tinga?”

Driver: He kinda turns his nostril up generally. He likes his hen chilly. He doesn’t like contemporary hen. We’ll decide hen and if it’s contemporary out of the rotisserie, he doesn’t vibe with it as a lot. [He prefers] a chilly piece of chicken. He’s received darkish meat, he doesn’t prefer it as a lot. What’s he dropping out on? He is aware of he’s gonna see me at 8.

Gossling: There was one time I gave him a few of the froyo. I want anyone else may have seen the face that he made. He was licking just a little bit, and I put just a little glob on one of many rocks. He licked up the entire glob, and he received a mind freeze. His mouth was open and he did just a little chatter, like an eh-eh-eh-eh-eh-eh! He was fairly spastic afterwards, like, what simply occurred to me? I by no means gave him extra froyo. But it was the cutest factor I’ve ever seen.

Dahlke: I’m like, OK, you will have moist and dry Friskies, the gravy sort, not even the pâté. He’s received intellectual tastes for a kitty. You’re an out of doors cat being fed by two of one of the best meals suppliers in Bishop Arts? He’s a fortunate boy. He’s dwelling a life. My different cats don’t go up there.

Everybody loves leftovers

Gossling: He’s the sweetest, friendliest cat. My cat had handed away, so it was so rewarding and so good to get to come back to work each day and get to pet this cat. Every night time he was rolling out on his again, legs sprawled, wanting tummy rubs. It felt pure and regular, like he was my cat. We each regarded for that affection each day. And, in fact, the hen for him.

McDaniel: While I really like Leftovers and assume he’s so candy and cute, I consider him as a grasp manipulator. We’re all completely satisfied to be manipulated. Me much less, however Bryan is all about it. He calls him his child. He’s received a complete rapport with this cat.

I look ahead to getting there as a result of I do know he’s ready for me. I don’t wish to be late for him.

Bryan Driver, chef, La Bodega

Driver: He’s simply such a cute boy.

Gossling: People have been at all times involved. “Is this your cat? Do I need to leave out food for him?” So we at all times say, he’s a neighborhood cat, he’s properly liked. It’s just a little sizzling however in any other case he lives like a king. He is so properly liked, and he eats one of the best natural hen.

Dahlke: I don’t need any individual pondering, “oh, this poor cat can’t be outside.” He’s properly taken care of by all of us. When we begin the build-out of Ten Bells, there might be a cat home. I don’t know the place he sleeps at night time, however when now we have patrons once more, I think about he’ll come over.

Contreras: People are tagging Leftovers right here on social. He has his personal on-line persona. We most likely ought to have began his personal Instagram account. Leftovers the Cat. We ought to do it proper now. Let’s do it proper now. (pauses interview, creates account) There. Done. I’ll share the login so all of us can submit for him. (As of publication time, the account setup shouldn’t be full. We will publish an update if Leftovers will get on Instagram.)

McDaniel: I adore it. He has change into our mascot.

Dahlke: He’s the mascot for Eighth Street.

Author

Brian Reinhart

View Profile

Brian Reinhart grew to become D Magazine’s eating critic in 2022 after six years of writing about eating places for the Dallas Observer and the Dallas Morning News.