USA Today
Written by: Ilene Jacobs
The weather in the Dallas area may be cooling off, but the food scene seems to be getting hotter– with new restaurants opening practically every week.
One of the most exciting developments has been occurring in Victory Park, where a slate of new dining spots are setting up shop, including Billy Can Can, a modern, steak-slinging saloon– and Imoto, an upscale Pan-Asian restaurant and cocktail lounge.
Things are popping in Bishops Arts too. New arrivals include Macellaio, an industrial-chic restaurant devoted to salumi and charcuterie–and Taco Y Vino, an intimate wine bar and taqueria set up in a 1920’s Craftsman bungalow.
Adding to the lineup of stellar restaurants in Deep Ellum is Izkina, a cozy tapas and cocktail joint tucked inside of a hip, new hostel. And then there’s Ruins, an indoor-outdoor eatery featuring Oaxacan and South American fare along with a phenomenal selection of mezcal.
That’s just a sampling of what’s on the plate this season. Read on to find out which new eating establishments you should be trying this fall.
4) Imoto
New to Victory Park is Imoto, a spacious, two-story stunner spotlighting Pan-Asian fare. The restaurant is the latest venture from Dallas culinary couple, Kent and Tracy Rathbun and features a menu packed with shareables as well as a traditional sushi bar headed up by Nobu alum, Jimmy Duke. Expect to find dishes ranging from honey-soy glazed Korean fried chicken and grilled lamb curry claypots to tempura lobster shooters with kaffir red curry–a fan favorite from Chef Rathbun’s former restaurant, Abacus. Pair everything up with a contemporary cocktail or a selection from the global wine list. Also keep an eye out for weekend DJs and daily specials.
1) Billy Can Can
Cementing Victory Park as Dallas’ coolest new dining destination is Billy Can Can, a handsome, wood and taxidermy adorned eatery modeled after a late-19th-century saloon. The restaurant comes by way of Tristan Simon (the same guy who transformed Henderson Avenue into a dining hotspot) and offers a menu highlighting modern Texas cuisine. We’re talking everything from Texas venison tartare and fried redfish po’boys to red brick chicken mole, skate wing schnitzel and steaks galore. Drink-wise, there’s a stellar lineup of handcrafted cocktails as well as wine, beer and house-made sarsaparilla. Not to be missed are the churros with warm chocolate mole and lime curd.