3 New Dallas Restaurants We’re Loving Now — And What To Order at Each Hot Spot

This summer, the owners of Republic Texas Tavern opened a new dim sum and sushi restaurant right next door to the favorite Preston Hollow haunt. The sleek new spot features bar seating, an outdoor patio, and booths in an upscale setting. Led by chef Ray Skradzinski, the menu features rolls that you can watch be created at a sushi bar that seats eight.

Best Sips: One cocktail that came highly recommended on Onesan’s menu was the Ghost of Tsushima. It’s made with Buddha Nigori Sake, honey simple syrup, fresh mint, and lime juice. A few other unique creations include Death Over Dishonor (Japanese whiskey, Szechuan peppercorn ginger syrup, and plum bitters) and Tokyo Sunrise with vodka, honeysuckle, and lemon, as well as a float of fortified pinot noir.

Best Bites: Make sure to start with the Crispy Monkey Balls — coconut rice balls with a spicy carrot ginger purée. You’ll want to scoop up every last bit of the sauce with Thai basil oil (it isn’t very spicy, promise). The Thai chicken dumplings are also a must-try to share with the table.

But the stunner in the dim sum department has to be the Pressed Korean Short Ribs. It comes with three portions of melt-in-your-mouth short rib topped with a chili-miso braise, spicy gochujang aioli, and house kimchi. If you’re with a date, you’ll be fighting over the last one. Lastly, for sushi rolls, the Geisha Roll came highly recommended — and for good reason. A riceless roll (wrapped in cucumber instead), the delicious mixture of tuna, salmon, Yellowtail, and crab mix was paired with a yuzu kosho ponzu sauce.

This new Las Colinas spot is currently in its soft opening phase (with a grand opening scheduled for September 16). We stopped by for dinner recently to try some of the new bites at the French Riviera-inspired restaurant from the Lamberti family (Lamberti’s Ristorante) and indulged in some fantastic dishes.

Best Sips: If you love wine, make sure to check out Monaco’s worldly list assembled by in-house sommelier Frank Horak. But if you’re feeling cocktails, the floral, whiskey-based Daisy Gypsy is a favorite.

Best Bites: Start with the hamachi crudo. It comes with a tasty salsa verde, Ghana basil, and braised leek topping. For mains, the house bolognese was a stunner — topped with ricotta cheese. Also, the Shrimp Laissez-faire is a light and delicious dish with pineapple repollo (coleslaw), aioli, and banana chips. And for dessert, don’t miss the creme brûlée with blueberries on the side.

In 2019, we met up with Hugo Miranda to discuss his new Mexican restaurant in Irving, Hugo’s Invitados. A healthy twist on authentic Mexican (the menu is almost entirely gluten-free), the Las Colinas concept near Toyota Music Factory quickly became popular and began plans to open a Dallas flagship in early 2020. A couple of years and one pandemic later, Hugo’s is finally open in West Village (in the former Mi Cocina space).

Best Sips: The entire bar menu is “skinny,” meaning all cocktails are made with agave instead of sugar, organic liqueurs, and fresh fruits. Our favorite drinks of the evening were the Spicy Oaxaca — with mezcal, pineapple, habanero, and hibiscus agave, and the Mezcal Margarita with smoked sea salt on the rim.

Best Bites: Don’t miss the pork belly chicharrón appetizer when dining at Hugo’s. It’s seared Berkshire pork belly served with six tiny house-made tortillas. For mains the chipotle shrimp tacos and wagyu carne asada are both stunners.