An acclaimed Dallas hospitality group is debuting a new concept: Called Norman's Japanese Grill, it's an Asian restaurant from Duro Hospitality (The Charles, Sister, Mister Charles, El Carlos Elegante), coming to the Oak Lawn neighborhood at 4002 Oak Lawn Ave. where it'll open on August 1.
According to a release, Norman’s is a Western-inspired Japanese raw bar and grill influenced by the Duro founders' admiration for Japanese food and culture. Duro co-founders Chas Martin and Benji Homsey have a long-shared love for the cuisine and culture of Japan, frequently seeking out restaurants from the region for inspiration and enjoyment.
At the heart of the restaurant is an open kitchen that brings two cooking traditions together: a large Argentinian-style wood-fired grill and a traditional Japanese charcoal robata. The menu will include sashimi, handrolls, and playful nigiri from an "irreverent" raw program, balanced by skewers straight off the charcoal robata and larger cuts of meats from the hickory wood-fired grill.
Get ready for the first million-dollar quote:
“If John Wayne were to open a Japanese restaurant this would be it,” says Chas Martin. “Incredible quality, yes, but not stuffy. Norman’s is all about that space in between elegance and ease—and making it feel like a true neighborhood spot where people can drop in often.”
Big spread from Norman'sSamantha Marie Photography
Located in the former Homewood, the restaurant from chef Matt McCallister which closed in 2023, the 3,100-square-foot space has seating for 70, including a 7-seat sushi bar, with an additional 35 seats available on the outdoor patio featuring an indoor/outdoor bar. One standout design element is the sunken bar, a subtle detail often seen in traditional Japanese interiors.
The design is by See’s Design, led by Duro Hospitality Partners Corbin and Ross See, who were inspired by the aesthetic duality of the American West and post-war Japan, and who've created an atmosphere that’s lived in, collected over decades with a restrained color paletteof bone, tobacco, sumi ink, oxblood, and indigo, evoking both kimono dyes and cowboy boots.
Get ready for the second million-dollar quote:
"Think Kyoto ryokan meets Marfa bunkhouse," says Corbin See. "The materials are worn-in and layered: blackened steel, hand-planed wood, lacquered finishes, and vintage textiles. The interiors of Norman’s feel like a personal collection—curated over time by a man who once carried a leather-bound journal and a Nikon rangefinder.”
I mean, come on, do these guys deliver or what.
Not unlike a Hollywood film, the restaurant has a "backstory": Norman’s is based on a story about a WWII veteran from Texas, who was stationed in Japan during the postwar U.S. occupation. There, Norman fell in love—with the country, its cuisine, its craft, and most importantly, a woman. This neighborhood spot is a Wes-Anderson inspired homage to his extensive travels and nostalgic memories of his Texas roots.
Rendering of Sloan Corners' 121 retail corridor.Photo courtesy of Billingsley Company