A First Taste of Le PasSage — Dallas’ New Upscale French-Asian Restaurant at The Terminal at Katy Trail

When we spoke with Dallas restaurateur and Travis Street Hospitality founder Stephan Courseau (Georgie, Knox Bistro) over a year ago about his vision for a new French-Asian restaurant at the brand-new luxury residences The Terminal at Katy Trail, the idea was only something we could imagine — with a few simple renderings, of course. Now, after experiencing Le PasSage in person, we realize what a hit this new upscale, trailside destination is going to be in the Dallas dining scene.

Inspired by The Terminal’s railroad station theme, Le PasSage was designed by Austin architect Michael Hsu (Uchi) to resemble the Orient Express, a luxury train that ran from Paris to Constantinople from 1883 through 1977. Similar to the storied train, the restaurant’s interior includes pink and plum hues with intimate “compartments” for the bar, the main dining room, and the outdoor patio.

In 2020, Michelin-starred and former Bullion chef Bruno Davaillon joined Courseau’s team and oversaw the rebrand of Up on Knox to Knox Bistro two years later. As the Travis Street Hospitality (TSH) culinary director, Davaillon says that he wanted to create an experience at Le PasSage that honors “the precision of French cuisine while embracing the vibrant tastes of Southeast Asia and beyond.” They brought on Hou Lam “Dicky” Fung (formerly of Mr. Chow in Las Vegas) as executive chef. Chef Fung’s menu features flavors from Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, and China.

During our Halloween night visit, we enjoyed the Pullman Plate and would recommend it as a way to try several different appetizers on the menu. It includes two bites each of the crispy chicken satay, shrimp toast, Vietnamese spring rolls, and bluefin tuna sesame leaves. We also had to add on an order of eggplant miso dumplings in a yuzu soy broth as they are just plain pretty (they’re bright green because of the spinach dumpling). But, the Vietnamese spring rolls with pork and shrimp were the favorite as they are perfectly crunchy and flavorful.

If there were more than two of us dining, we would’ve gone for Le PasSage’s signature Peking duck (which serves four and comes with Lotus buns, cucumber, and other accouterments), but were so glad to have ordered the five spice duck breast. Cooked to perfection, the dish comes served with spiced duck jus and a side of caramelized mango. We also enjoyed the shaking beef — grass-fed filet mignon with watercress, red onion, and lime sauce.

For dessert, pastry chef Dyan Ng (who moved from California for TSH) has crafted some unique options. The smoked tea donut is a stunner featuring a warm brioche donut served with burnt cinnamon sugar. A lighter but equally tasty dessert is the Coconut & Sweet Potato. It’s coconut tapioca with purple sweet potato cream. We were tempted to order all four on the menu, but are saving the Yogurt & Mushroom — an evolving dish Ng used to make at the now-closed Auburn in L.A. — and Mango & Almond for next time.

You also can’t dine at Le PasSage without trying one of the Asian-inspired cocktails created by Travis Street Hospitality executive mixologist Mario Martinez. Former Jettison bar manager George Kaiho has also joined the bar team. Twists on traditional drinks, there are eight craft cocktails on the menu. We loved the Paper Crane (Paper Planes are one of my favorites) with an Asian twist of Japanese whiskey and yuzu. There’s also some yellow Chartreuse that gives it a green-blue color. The Lychee Martini is another popular option with the addition of hibiscus and sake. It’s on the sweeter side and comes with a few lemon pearl tapioca that pop in your mouth.

With Courseau’s portfolio of winning concepts, Davaillon’s experience, and the expert newcomers they’ve brought to Dallas for the ride, Le PasSage is a journey you won’t want to miss.