Bye Poke

East Dallas restaurant closure raises red flag regarding poke trend

Is it time to stick a fork in poke?

Photo courtesy of Mamasan

An East Dallas poke restaurant that seemed to have the right DNA has closed, raising serious questions about the Hawaiian poke trend: Mamasan Poke, one of the many poke restaurants to have opened in Dallas-Fort Worth in the past two years, has closed.

Mamasan had a short and not all that bright life, open for a mere five months.

Calls made to owners Royce Ring and Alex Urranaga went unanswered. But a representative from the company confirmed that the restaurant's final day was November 30. The restaurant offered 30 percent discounts on all food that day.

Mamasan opened rather quietly on June 27, in a former bank building at 2818 N. Fitzhugh Ave., a few blocks east of US-75, and an area that is undergoing a major transformation.

Mamasan's space was nicely designed, and the neighborhood is definitely on the upswing with new residential buildings, a new Starbucks, and restaurant openings such LDU Coffee and El Bolero.

The menu combined poke — the super-trendy raw fish dish from Hawaii — with bowls and burrito-style "sushirrito" sushi rolls centered around items like shrimp tempura and Japanese short rib.

A poke place in that location would seem like a slam-dunk, especially given the resumes of Ring, an ex-Carlson Restaurants VP, and Urrunaga, whose company Plan B has had a hand in the creation and design of concepts such as Bolsa and the restaurants at the Statler Dallas hotel to Legacy Hall.

So has Plan B lost its mojo, or has poke peaked?

The poke trend has been going in Dallas for about two years, with dozens of poke restaurants opening or in the works, beginning in 2016 with Pok the Raw Bar in the West Village.

Poke restaurants that have opened since include Go Fish Poke in Irving, California-based LemonShark Poke in Irving, Poké Bop, with two locations on Lemmon Avenue and in the former Zuzu space at Mockingbird and Abrams, Poke O at Mockingbird Station, Malibu Poke in Turtle Creek Village from the owners of TJ's Seafood, Poke Sushi Roll at Greenville Avenue and Mockingbird Lane, Mola Mola Poke at Inwood Village, California-based Low-Key Poke Joint in Addison, New York-based Pokeworks opening two DFW locations, Purple Tako in The Colony, and still more in the works such as Poke GoGo in Uptown, I mean, who in their right mind.

So much poke.

If there's anything happening in raw fish right now, it seems to be hand rolls, the loosely-rolled sushi concoction, with openings such as Namo in the West Village, Sushi de Handroll at The Hill in North Dallas, and Nori in Deep Ellum. Bye poke, hello hand rolls.

closings trends

Back in Business

Garland restaurant from Bobby Flay winner to reopen in downtown Dallas

Photo courtesy of Pangea

Chef Kevin Ashade has found a new home for Pangea.

Pangea, the popular Garland restaurant which closed in January 2025, has found a new home. A new iteration of the restaurant will open in downtown Dallas, at 1910 Pacific Ave., Ste. 1400, in a location that was once vegan restaurant Belse.

According to restaurant personnel, it will open at 4 pm Friday, February 13.

Pangea is from chef and restaurateur Kevin Ashade, a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America who won Food Network's Beat Bobby Flay in 2016 with his signature coq au vin, which will be served at the new restaurant.

Ashade has a strong culinary background in Dallas, which includes Craft at the W Hotel, Nana at the Hilton Anatole, The Oceanaire Seafood Room, and his GourmEats catering business, before opening Pangea in January 2020.

In this new chapter of Pangea, which is defined by Ashade as “elevated and globally inspired," the menu will expand past the original restaurant's upscale Southern eats to include new flavors and fusions from Italian, Nigerian, Japanese, French, and Caribbean cuisine.

“The focus will be on a true definition of what Pangea is, with new dishes and a true cultural approach to food,” Ashade says.

The menu will feature about half of the dishes from the original location, including the popular jerk roasted lamb shank, stuffed salmon, and crab cakes. It will expand to include more fish options, like a branzino plate, and more cuts of steak, in addition to the New York strip, filet, and ribeye that were served in the Garland location. Entrees will range from $35 to $50, with more casual options such as burgers and sandwiches available as well.

The new restaurant will also feature a full raw and sushi bar, including an omakase option starting at $85. They will also be serving brunch on weekends, with options such as chicken and waffles, eggs Benedict, omelets, steak frites, pastry baskets, and a full coffee menu.

Pangea downtown Dallas The menu is globally inspired. Photo courtesy of Pangea

The 240-seat space is upscale with a lounge vibe, with warm lighting creating a sophisticated but welcoming look. It features a full bar, a private dining room, and an ample climate-controlled patio. It is centrally located, across the street from Pacific Plaza Park and on the same block as the Majestic Theatre.

“This relocation means a better spot for us, an opportunity to be part of the business district. We want to create a vacation feel, a place that makes you feel like you are traveling in Mykonos, Tulum, or Ibiza,” Ashade says.

Pangea will be open for dinner seven days a week, as well as offering lunch on Fridays and brunch on Saturdays and Sundays. The restaurant will stay open late — until 2 am — on weekends.

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