Victory Park Chow

Dallas' Victory Park gets its sushi back with new Kent Rathbun spot

Victory Park is set to get an Asian restaurant.

Photo courtesy of Victory Park

There are details and an opening date on the new Asian restaurant opening in Victory Park from Kent and Tracy Rathbun.

Called Imōto, it represents "the Pan-Asian fruit" of their lifetime of culinary and cultural pursuits. "Pan-Asian fruit," now that is some press release writing.

Imōto, the Japanese word for "little sister," will open at 2400 Victory Park Ln. on June 7, filling a gap on the "Asian Restaurant Options in Victory Park" category that was left when Kenichi, the sushi restaurant, closed in 2017.

Imōto will be upscale, and will serve favorites from various Asian cultures in a contemporary style. There'll be sharable plates and a traditional sushi bar. Those are all the details on the menu for now.

The restaurant will also have a "flare" for the nightlife with a lounge, weekend DJ, and extensive cocktail menu. "Flare," now that is some press release spelling. We kid, we kid.

Imōto will reflect Kent's extensive travels to Thailand and Tracy's dedication to hospitality. Kent says that "everything about Imōto is geared to taking you to an exotic, cool locale."

Chef is Jennifer Newbold, previously of Rathbun's Blue Plate Kitchen. General Manager is Cinthia Mullenix, previously of Shinsei Restaurant. Sushi master is Jimmy Duke, previously of Nobu.

In Imōto, the Rathbuns are partnered with John Kinzer, founder of the Barley House; and John D. Harkey, Jr., who is CEO of Consolidated Restaurants.

Consolidated operates and franchises more than 100 full-service restaurants including III Forks, Prime Steakhouse, Cool River Café, Cantina Laredo, and Lucky’s Café.

Kinzer had a leadership and formative role in the creation and direction of the Del Frisco's Grille concept and was director of Del Frisco's Restaurant Group from 2009-13. He has also had oversight responsibilities for Texas Land & Cattle and Lone Star Steakhouse.

Everyone knows Kent Rathbun as founder of Abacus, Jasper's, and more, and as one of Dallas' best-known chefs. Imōto is his first solo venture since leaving the company he founded and developed, Kent Rathbun Concepts.

Tracy Rathbun co-founded the popular Shinsei near Inwood Village and has 20 years of restaurant and managerial experience.

downtown

Awards News

Michelin listed incorrect Dallas restaurant in its first Texas guide

Mister Charles

The much-ballyhooed Michelin Guide debuted its Texas edition on November 11, with 15 restaurants across the state receiving stars, and dozens more earning various hugs and nods of one kind or another.

But oopsy daisy: There was a typo.

The Guide's release announcing the list of restaurants who'd won awards included The Charles, an award-winning Italian restaurant in Dallas' Design District, as one of 57 restaurants that earned a "Recommended" rating.

Mister Charles is a surely deserving restaurant that opened in 2018, the first concept from acclaimed food & beverage group Duro Hospitality, which has since gone on to open other restaurants such as El Carlos Elegante, Sister, and Cafe Duro.

But the Guide got the wrong Charles: The real recipient was Mister Charles, a sibling Duro Hospitality restaurant that opened at 3219 Knox St. in early 2024.

The Charles specializes in Italian and Texas-inspired dishes.

Mister Charles features French and Italian-influenced dishes.

It wasn't just an incorrect name; it listed the accompanying (incorrect) address.

A spokesperson for Michelin Guide verified that Mister Charles was the winner and said that the listing of The Charles was a mistake.

“This was an internal error caused by our geolocation process. The problem will be corrected in the most expeditious manner,” the spokesperson said. The Guide website has since updated the list and replaced The Charles with Mister Charles.

Having a difference of opinion about a critic's choices is one thing — but having an error of this magnitude is something else entirely.

And blaming "geolocation" as the source of the error is a curious excuse. Geolocation refers to the ability to track the whereabouts of an electronic device using GPS, cell phone towers, WiFi access points or a combination of these.

Is a restaurant an electronic device?

Geolocation is often used to track the movements and location of people and surveillance. You don't often hear about it being used to track the location of a restaurant.

Mister Charles was not the only Duro Hospitality restaurant to earn a nod: El Carlos Elegante was also listed as a Recommended restaurant.

If there's an upside, it's that it gives Mister Charles vs. The Charles a little extra attention. That "Recommended" list had 57 entries, 16 of which were from Dallas.

The only Dallas restaurant to earn a Michelin star was Tatsu Dallas, the edomae sushi restaurant in Deep Ellum.

lists bests awards