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

Ice Cream News

Global gourmet ice cream chain debuts in U.S. with 2 Dallas-area shops

Dumont Ice Cream

An ice cream concept from India has made its U.S. debut, right here in Texas: Called Dumont Creamery & Cafe, it's an ice cream chain founded in Hyderabad that now has two locations in the Dallas area.

Their first location was Frisco, which opened at 1951 FM 423 at the end of 2023; a second location opened in late October in Coppell at 1535 S. Belt Line Rd. #160.

Dumont was founded in 1999 by brothers Vivek and Bhashkaar, and currently has 23 locations in Hyderabad, Bengaluru, and Vijayawada listed on their website.

Bringing the concept to Texas are local franchisees and friends Sai Sashank and Tarang Tirumala, who moved to the U.S. in 2005 to attend college.

Both have successful consulting careers, but craved a taste of home.

Ice cream is the centerpiece at Dumont with more than two dozen flavors, ranging from gourmet to classics to flavors boasting global influences: from Italian-inspired sorbet to a New Zealand-inspired honey ice cream called "hokey pokey."

There is vanilla, chocolate, and mint chocolate chip — but also unique options such as cake and jam, an ice cream with a vanilla base, bites of cake, and spiced jam; and kheer, a coconut ice cream studded with dried fruits and nuts — a nod to the kheer rice pudding that's one of India's favorite desserts.

A single scoop is $4. They have cups and a cute version of waffle cones: shorter and fatter than usual, to provide a greater ratio of ice cream-to-cone.

In addition to ice cream, they have a beverage program with coffee and espresso drinks such as lattes, plus boba tea. There are also special drinks like falooda — an exotic Indian milkshake with rose syrup and vermicelli — as well as limited-edition drinks like iced kheer, a cool beverage version of that same popular rice pudding dessert.

Both locations are spacious, bright, and clean, with pale green banquettes at Frisco, and pale blue chairs and tables at Coppell. Both feature an astronaut theme with statues and framed photos and cartoons on the wall. The Coppell location also has a mural dedicated to great moments in Coppell history.