Japanese Hot Dogs

Former Banh Shop in Dallas preps for hot-doggin' new Japanese eatery

Japanese street food, coming soon to SMU Boulevard.

Photo courtesy of Flickr

While the SMU area is still reeling from the recent closure of Banh Shop, we're here to offer a reason to go on. That location has a new eatery in the works, from a restaurant group with a solid track record.

Banh Shop is the banh mi joint on SMU Boulevard that was a concept from Yum! Brands, developed by restaurant guru Mark Brezinski and Dallas restaurateurs Braden and Yasmin Wages, owners of Malai Kitchen in West Village. It closed on January 28.

The location is being taken over by restaurateur Kenzo Tran, owner of Piranha Killer Sushi and Pho District in Fort Worth, and his team, including two chefs with whom he has worked on other restaurants in Dallas.

Those include Dien Nguyen, who is chef at Wabi House, the ramen restaurant on Greenville Avenue they opened in mid-2016; and Long Nguyen, chef at Sapa House, the Asian restaurant they opened in downtown Dallas, in the former Pho Colonial space.

Tran says they're still deciding some of the details on the new restaurant they'll open, including the name.

"The name is important, but it hasn't been determined yet," he says. "We do know that we'll be doing a fast-casual restaurant with Japanese-inspired fast food, but the menu is still in development stages."

Their inspiration includes Japanese street food, places they've seen in cities like New York and Toronto.

"We know we'll be doing fast-casual ramen and bao, the steamed buns," Tran says.

They're also developing an item that has been a big trend in the Pacific Northwest, namely, Japanese-inspired hot dogs.

At restaurants such as Gourmet Dog Japon in Seattle and Japadog in Vancouver, Japanese-style hot dogs get topped with ingredients such as pickled ginger, fish flakes, seaweed, wasabi, cabbage, and sukiyaki-style beef.

Tran has been a restaurateur since 2001, when he opened Piranha Killer Sushi in Arlington. There are now Piranha locations in Flower Mound, Fort Worth, Austin, and San Antonio, with more on the way. He opened a Vietnamese restaurant, Pho District, in Fort Worth to rave reviews in 2014.

He works in a collaborative manner, as seen with Wabi House and Sapa House, where he served more of a supportive role behind the scenes.

"We feel like whatever we put out there has to have substance, and good flavors that people will come back for," he says. "And you have to have value. It can't be so expensive that people don't want to come back."

The timetable for this new place is that they'll open "fairly quickly," possibly by March.

"There wasn't much to do. Yum! Brands, who owned Banh Shop, did a lot of work," he says. "The building has an industrial feel that fits the area. It has a cool vibe. But the color scheme that was in there, with the lime green and the terra cotta, was not suitable. But I think they were on to something. Asian food is really hot these days, and I think the right concept can do well there."

openings

Global tastes

New botanería pairs drinks with free bites near Dallas Farmers Market

Chef Karla Soria Palomino's menu delivers authentic Mexican flavors and bold heat.

Photo credit: Paul Torres.

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There is a novel concept open in the Dallas Farmers Market district: Called Sor Juana, it's a botanería inspired by traditional Mexican establishments where drinks are served alongside complimentary snacks and bar bites.

Located at 1908 Canton St., the space provides an immersion into Mexican culture through its food, beverages, decor, and overall atmosphere.

Sor Juana comes from Alexandra Hernández and Karla Soria Palomino. Hernández brings a background in front-of-house hospitality, theatre, and events while Soria Palomino contributes extensive kitchen experience from restaurants across Mexico and Dallas.

The inspiration behind the name and concept comes from 17th-century nun and scholar Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz. Recognized as the "First Feminist of the Americas," she was a literary trailblazer who learned to read and write during an era when women were denied an education. Considered one of the greatest poets of the Baroque period in what is now Mexico, Sor Juana defied societal norms, stood up to the male-dominated clergy, and excelled in science, mathematics, music, and culinary arts.

“We wanted to pick a strong woman from Mexico as the emblematic figure of our botanería — traditionally run and frequented only by men,” Hernández says. “With our women-run botanería, which is a unique concept for Dallas, we are creating a space for everyone.”

The frame for their idea is a landmark Dallas building originally constructed over a century ago for the Desco Tile Company. Designed in a Venetian Gothic style with exterior arches and columns, the interior features original chandeliers alongside decorative, colorful tilework — including a wall fountain, a fireplace, and terrazzo floors — all preserved intact for Sor Juana, with a few new tile accents added to the bathrooms and bar backdrop.

Historic Dallas architecture meets traditional Mexican hospitality at Sor Juana.Photo credit: Paul Torres

“We tried to respect the architecture of the building by adjusting our concept to the space, rather than forcing the space to adjust to us,” Hernández says.

The duo worked with interior designer Callie Windle on the details, sourcing decorative pieces from artists both in Mexico and locally (many of which are available for purchase).

The 90-seat venue features comfortable seating centered around a dynamic bar program managed by Saúl Hernández (previously of Midnight Rambler, La Viuda Negra, and Las Almas Rotas).

True to the hospitality spirit of a traditional botanería, patrons receive a complimentary botana (bar bite) with every drink purchase. While the offerings rotate regularly to maintain an element of surprise, options range from spiced nuts, fresh fruit, and popcorn to more substantial plates like tacos and caldo de camarón.

The creative cocktail menu ranges from $12 to $16, anchored by their signature “La Nueva Sangre” — an orange blossom gin cocktail balanced with beet juice, lemon, passion fruit, and lavender bitters. Hernández notes the drink is “as complex and interesting, with a little bit of everything, just as Sor Juana was.”

The bar also pours Mexican imports alongside local favorites Shiner and Michelob for $7, wines, and zero-proof options including non-alcoholic champagne.

Happy hour runs Wednesday through Friday from 5:30-7:30 pm, featuring $6 beers, $8 wines, and $8 cocktails infused with house-made Mexican chili oil macha sauce.

Beyond the complimentary botanas, the venue offers a full food menu designed by Chef Soria Palomino. It comes with a playful warning: “Expect bold flavors and a little heat — that’s what the cerveza is for.” Signature items include ceviche, mezcal-glazed wings, tacos, and tostadas, all centered on authentic Mexican flavor profiles.

For dessert, they feature a ganzote crafted by Diana Zamora of Nena Postrería, inspired by the classic packaged Gansito sponge cake.

Community events play a major role in the space, including lotería nights, "Bring Your Own Vinyl" Sundays, and rotating local DJs every other Friday. The team is actively taking community feedback to build out future programming, including upcoming collaborative dinner series.

“Events are a way to build community and bring people together,” Hernández says. “When we started crafting this concept, we looked at every detail — from the playlist to the food and cocktails, as we wanted a total experience where every element comes together and complements the rest.”

Sor Juana is open 2-10 pm Wednesday-Thursday 12 pm-12 pm Friday-Saturday, 12-10 pm Sunday. Metered street parking is enforced until 6 pm, with free parking available afterward.