Hot Ramen News

New ramen and izakaya restaurant in Plano nails all the hot trends

Ramen is a specialty at Yatai Ramen Izakaya.

Photo courtesy of Yatai Ramen

A cool new Asian restaurant combining some of the hottest trends in dining is about to open in Plano. Yatai Ramen Izakaya will open on September 15, in a space on Coit Road that was previously home to a juice bar.

Yatai, which in Japan is a food stall or shop, has: ramen, an izakaya component, a vegan option, a ramen with bacon, and it's in Plano, the hot new foodie city. Are we missing anything? The restaurant comes from husband and wife Ken Lin and Jasmine Kim, and some of their family members, who also own Sushi Haruya in West Plano.

Lin says that their goal is to offer different experiences depending on when you visit.

"We have ramen but also a number of Japanese tapas-style side dishes, some of which are unique," he says. "At lunch time, we emphasize ramen, but at dinnertime, that will change into more of a bar atmosphere, where people can have drinks and a few side dishes. We have a large sake program and anticipate a more glamorous ambience at night."

The menu is extensive and intriguing. It begins with small plates such as fried chicken, pork and vegetable dumplings, shishito peppers, and fried tofu. There are potato croquettes; chashu roasted pork; and a cool dish called corn cheese, which has corn topped with melted cheese.

A section dedicated to tempura offers the usual shrimp and mixed vegetables but also fried oysters and a bacon-wrapped portabella mushroom. Noodle and rice dishes include udon noodle soup, cold soba noodles, and kimchi fried rice.

And there are larger plates and entrées that range from conventional options such as salmon to more unusual dishes like steamed buttered clam soup; Japanese crisp sausages; and two kinds of savory pancakes — one Japanese-style and the other Korean-style, topped with seafood.

Meanwhile, a “yaki” grilled snacks menu runs cheap, with items such as chicken liver, scallops, and meatballs ranging from $2 to $3 each.

Last but not least, there is ramen — 14 kinds — including tonkotsu with pork bone broth; two kinds of miso, one regular, one spicy; tan tan men with sesame-flavored broth; tsukemen with the broth in a separate bowl; a “kimchi bacon” ramen; a curry ramen; and a vegan ramen. Yay for vegan everything these days.

Kim says they're going for a balance. "We have traditional and common food, but at the same time, we try to balance it with new experiences," she says.

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Escargot News

New all-day French bistro in downtown Rockwall is all from scratch

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Belle View Bistro Rockwall

An all-day French bistro has made its debut in Rockwall: Called Belle Vie Bistro, it’s a new mom-and-pop in the charming historic downtown district, at 112 E. Rusk St., the former home of The Fatted Calf restaurant, where it opened its doors on November 12.

Belle Vie is from Luis and Iliana Marquez, a hard-working couple who also own Los Marquez, a popular taco--themed food-truck-turned-restaurant in Rockwall they first debuted in 2019. In May, the couple took over the former Fat Chicken space to open a brick and mortar location of Los Marquez, where they serve well-made Mexican food like tacos, burritos, and quesadillas, but also burgers & fries. They open for breakfast with breakfast tacos, and run a daily lunch special, often creative, always popular, such as birria ramen with choice of beef or lamb for $11.

But the couple had a bigger vision of creating a place where chef Luis could stretch and showcase his skills.

"Luis has a lot of culinary experience, and it’s something that he’s been putting aside,” Iliana says. “We were just waiting on the perfect time to bring this to life.”

"This is something exciting and new for us, it’s something that we always wanted to make,” Luis says.

Like Los Marquez, Belle Vie is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, serving classics like French onion soup, moules frites, escargot, and duck confit. There are also comforting and American dishes like spinach-artichoke dip, crab cakes, and fish & chips.

Lunch features Cobb salad, a French dip, and chicken & Brie panini, while an extended breakfast -- which runs from 7 am to 4 pm — includes pancakes, waffles, eggs benedict, beignets French toast, and crepes, plus pastries and breads made from scratch.

Mural on the wall at Belle Vie Bistro RockwallFacebook

The bakery counter is a delight, with eclairs, croissants, scones, fruit tarts, and cake slices in flavors like carrot cake and white chocolate raspberry. There's also a serious coffee program with espresso drinks such as lattes.

"We pride ourselves on making everything from scratch," the duo says. "Our bread—whether for sandwiches, paninis, hamburgers or anything listed on our menu is made fresh just for us by our incredibly talented pastry chef and baker. The same care goes into our pastries and desserts ensuring every bite is special and crafted with love."

The dining room is warm and cozy with dark wood chairs and plush booths and a full-wall mural depicting a street in Paris. They also have a full bar, with cocktails and beer on tap. Prices are reasonable, ranging from $9 for a Belgian waffle during breakfast to $45 for prime ribeye at dinner.

For now, they're not taking reservations — it's first come, first serve.

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