The 5 Hottest New Dallas Restaurants Right Now — And What To Order At Each

From Lombardi Family Concepts, this new Latin restaurant took over the former Jasper’s (and before that, Abacus) space on McKinney Avenue. The interior has been completely transformed into a Tulum-like escape. Design highlights include custom wood accent walls, hand-sculpted pottery, natural wood branches, neutral-toned stones, and lush plants. When we visited, many guests were taking advantage of the Instagram moment at the entrance which includes these arching branches and a large mirror. Led by chef Ty Thaxton, the menu features dishes from Peru, Argentina, Brazil, and other Latin American countries.

Best Bites: Start with the yellowtail ceviche. The delicious mixture of Tiger’s milk, shaved shallot, tomatillo, pickled habanero chili, and leeks comes served in a spherical terrarium atop another plate filled with liquid nitrogen to create a smokey effect. Don’t miss the beef empanadas either. Two wood fire oven-baked beef pastries come with chimichurri and a chipotle tomato sauce. The flaky pastry makes the dish.

For entrees, you’ll find everything from street tacos to steak and seafood. There’s also a cocktail menu that serves interactive drinks like the La Diabla. When served, a piece of material that is wrapped around the tequila drink is lit on fire to create a show-stopping moment. For dessert, we enjoyed the churros with abuelita hot chocolate and cajeta caramel dipping sauces, but next time we’ll be trying the piña colada creme brûlée which comes served inside a half pineapple.

There’s a lot to try at MAR Y SOL. The ambiance is fun and welcoming, making it a great spot for a girl’s night or date night.

A more affordable offshoot from the owners of Komé at The Hill, this new sushi and hand roll bar is a must-try experience in Bishop Arts. Otaru took over the former Isla & Co. space, which has been transformed into a dark and moody atmosphere with the U-shaped sushi bar as the focal point. Right now, it’s walk-in only, with reservations only available for the 17-course chef’s tasting omakase. There’s also a signature tasting and a la carte items ranging from specialty rolls to handrolls.

Best Bites: I don’t know how you can’t opt for the signature tasting omakase at Otaru. It’s $100 per person (a great deal compared to other local omakases) and comes with 11 courses. Be prepared to pace yourself as it’s more food than one expects from a tasting experience. Of course, the lineup starts with a miso soup and cucumber salad. Then, there is a sampling (two pieces each) of three chef’s special items including two of my favorite bites of the evening — the yellowtail Asian pear and mango salmon. Next, you get a foie gras bite wrapped in seaweed that is absolutely amazing, several pieces of sashimi served on a glass platter, a and variety of nigiri topped with ingredients like ginger, gold leaf, and caviar. Then, there is a yellowtail handroll in case you aren’t full enough yet. Lastly, dessert is an ube ice cream adorned with berries.

This summer, Tanner Agar has switched things up at the well-loved Rye on Lower Greenville, testing a pop-up concept in anticipation of his new Mexican-Caribbean concept — Aguasal — (coming to downtown McKinney later this year). Transformed into a tropical paradise, the temporarily transformed restaurant is open for dinner Tuesday through Sunday and brunch on Saturdays and Sundays. It will be open through Labor Day weekend.

Best Bites: Start with the coconut-fried shrimp. Eight jumbo shrimp are served with a sweet scotch bonnet sauce that is completely addictive. The queso mac is another must-try appetizer (or side). The restaurant’s signature queso is served over cavatappi noodles with melted jack-cheddar cheese and scallions. The arepajitas are a stand-out — diners have a choice of Jamaican jerk chicken, Yucatan-crusted steak, pastor pork, or crab-butter shrimp. We opted for the pastor pork and were pleasantly surprised with the platter of sizzling meat, Venezuelan arepas, onion, cilantro, and lime. It also comes with a choice of side (we got queso mac), but the crispy confit potatoes are also very good. The Yucatan hanger steak is another great option with chimichurri, masa fritters, and pepitas. For dessert, the Oops… I Dropped It Again is a fun take on a vanilla ice cream cone — served upside-down on a bed of edible sand (rum cake) and chocolate candy rocks.

This New Haven-style pizza joint from the owners of Goodfriend Beer Garden and Burger House is worth a trip over to downtown Garland. The Connecticut-bred pizza style is a thin-crust pie (similar to Neapolitan) made in a high-heat coal-fired oven featuring unique toppings like tart tomato sauce, Pecorino Romano cheese, and clams.

Best Bites: When we visited on a Saturday afternoon, Fortunate Son was — unfortunately — already out of its popular garlic knots, but we ordered the grilled sourdough with fresh garlic and herb oil and still enjoyed it. Pizzas come in a personal 12-inch or regular 18-inch size. The prosciutto with white sauce, arugula, ricotta, and balsamic reduction is a must-try, but we also thoroughly enjoyed the classic pepperoni. It was so solid with San Marzano sauce, mozzarella, and pecorino. Next time, we’ll also be ordering a piece of their tiramisu. It has cold brew-soaked ladyfingers.

Brand new to the West End, this new casual taco restaurant comes from restauranteur Jay Khan (who also owns nearby Eleven Kitchen & Cocktails, Chet’s, and more). Executive Chef Juan Sanchez, who currently oversees the kitchen at Khan’s newest concept The Liam’s Steakhouse, is also at the helm at Más. Counter service style, the shop offers breakfast tacos all day, al pastor, barbacoa, quesabirria, and more. All meats are smoked or marinated in-house and there are also quesadillas, sopas, tortas, burritos, and flautas on the menu. There’s not a lot of indoor seating apart from bar stools, so add this to the list next time you’re craving takeout.

Best Bites: It’s best to mix and match a few items here. The quesabirria is a stunner with birria-style cooked beef folded into a tortilla with melted cheese. It’s served with a delicious side of broth for dipping. The taco barbacoa is another favorite, as well as the Gorditas asada and tostadas pollo.