Sushi News

Acclaimed sushi restaurant opens in neat niche at Dallas' Adolphus Hotel

Sushi by Sushi By Scratch.

Sushi By Scratch

A chi-chi sushi place that was previously a pop-up in Dallas is making a commitment: Sushi By Scratch, the buzzy sushi speakeasy that started out as a short-term pop-up at the Adolphus Hotel, has decided to make it official, and has set up permanent residence.

According to a release, they're now open in a permanent space on the 8th floor of the Adolphus, serving an omakase-style menu and a robust selection of premium Japanese whiskys and sakes.

Part of Scratch Restaurants Group, Sushi By Scratch first began as a pop-up in Los Angeles, and now boasts 10 outposts in cities across the U.S.

The Dallas location opened as a temporary concept at the Adolphus in December 2023, serving a greatest-hits collection of recipes from Scratch Restaurants Group co-owner and chef Phillip Frankland Lee and pastries from pastry chef Margarita Kallas-Lee.

They set up in a room with a makeshift temporary decor — coming somewhat to the rescue of the Adolphus, whose restaurant situation had been struggling through a post-pandemic recovery.

They landed in Dallas at the pinnacle of the booming omakase trend, and quickly earned high marks from sushi cognoscenti, garnering applause for their excellent nigiri and skilled use of toppings that complemented the nigiri, such as truffles, caviar, and bone marrow — instantly selling out seatings and drawing a waitlist before they even opened.

Inspired by the response, Lee and his team pivoted to make the space permanent — moving the temporary setup to the lobby behind City Hall Bistro so they could transform the original space to permanent status.

Is this complicated? A little. The point is, they're now back on the 8th floor in a newly designed space with updates that include:

a new 14-foot live-edge Spalted Maple sushi counter crafted from a single tree by artisans at Awesome Shoppe in Beeville, Texas. With matching back bar and shelves, the counter is designed to stand as a stunning centerpiece.
The layout of the sushi bar has been redesigned.
New flooring and enhanced lighting.
Black appliances and finishes add a commanding presence.
The walls and ceiling adorned in moody shades of green.

Adjustments have also been made to the welcome area, and there's a concierge lounge adjacent to the sushi room.

They've beefed up their spirits offering, with more than 25 hard-to-find Japanese Whiskys, including Yamazki 12 year, 18-year, and Distiller's Reserve, Toguchi 15, as well as the complete line up from Shibui.

Reservations are still a hot ticket: released on the first of the month at 12 pm for the following month's availability, available via Tock. There are three seatings every night at 5 pm, 7:15 pm, and 9:30 pm, at $165 per person. Guests are invited 30 minutes prior to their reservation time for a welcome cocktail and canapes prior to the start of dinner at no additional cost.

Scratch Restaurants Group also has two locations of Pasta|Bar in Los Angeles and Austin; NADC Burger in Austin and Chicago; and Wolf and Wheat in Austin.

downtown hotels openings

New 'cue

Seasoned pitmaster fires up Latin-inspired Texas BBQ for Uptown Dallas

Photo courtesy of Rodeo City Provisions

Meat platter with sides at Rodeo City Provisions.

A barbecue restaurant from Mesquite is coming to buzzy Uptown Dallas before the end of the year: Called Rodeo City Provisions, it will take over the short-lived NADC Burger spot at 2908 McKinney Ave.

The restaurant comes from Leo Morales, a seasoned chef and pitmaster. Born to a Colombian mother and a Mexican father and raised in New York, Morales draws heavily on his roots to shape the distinct flavors in his food.

Morales has worked in kitchens since he was a teenager, rising from dishwasher to director and operating partner at Barrel & Bones Craft Bar and Smokehouse, then general manager at Smoky Rose in Lakewood. He briefly owned his first barbecue spot in Fair Park, Parry Avenue Barbecue Company, which earned him a Rising Star Chef nomination at CultureMap’s 2022 Tastemaker Awards.

He later became chief operations officer for Refined Hospitality, overseeing culinary operations for the restaurants at The Statler and the Mesquite Rodeo. That experience paved the way for a return to barbecue in 2024, when Rodeo City Provisions debuted as a concession and suite vendor at the Mesquite Rodeo.

A year later, Morales expanded into a vacant space next to the arena (at 1818 Rodeo Dr.), opening a full-service restaurant under the same brand.

“We are a traditional Texas barbecue restaurant, where I put who I am into it, so I do a lot more than salt, pepper, and garlic,” Morales says. “We use spices like guajillo, chile de árbol, and achiote — real flavors that I grew up with.”

Rodeo City Provisions is going into the old NADC spot at 2908 McKinney Ave.Photo courtesy of Rodeo City Provisions

This approach shines through in a menu featuring prime brisket, ribs, pulled pork, turkey, and chicken by the pound, paired with Latin-inspired sides like creamed corn with queso fresco and Tajín, and borracho pinto beans. Beyond traditional barbecue cuts, the menu offers tortas, tacos, sandwiches, smoked brisket queso, and quesi-birria quesadillas.

Rodeo City Provisions also serves breakfast, including tacos, pork belly French toast, jalapeño cheddar sausage biscuits with gravy, and a loaded “Brekky Sandwich” stacked with chorizo, pork belly bacon, birria brisket, cheese, and a fried egg.

Prices are relatively affordable, ranging from $2 tacos and sandwiches for less than $15 to two-meat plates for $19 and three-pound meat boards that serve up to six people for $140. Weekly specials include pork belly burnt ends on Fridays and $20 racks of ribs on Sundays.

Just a year after launching the Mesquite location, Morales had an opportunity to expand to McKinney Avenue through longtime friends who own the building. The two-story space will feature counter service downstairs, with seating for about 50 guests. Upstairs, seating for roughly 80 will accommodate a hybrid service model, with full service and QR codes at tables for easy ordering. An outdoor smoke pit will sit next to the patio.

The Uptown location will serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner, along with a few exclusive menu items. Those include a turkey club stacked with smoked turkey, pulled pork, pork belly bacon, lettuce, tomato, and beef tallow mayo, plus a smoked brisket French dip on bolillo bread with Gruyère cheese and au jus.

Rodeo City Provisions in Uptown will be open 7 am-7 pm Tuesday-Sunday; closed Mondays.

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