Opening day nears for a spiffy new sushi restaurant coming to Dallas: Ten Sushi + Cocktail Bar, a sushi restaurant and cocktail bar with California roots, will officially open at The Union building at 2301 N. Akard St. on August 6, ready to serve lunch and dinner to visitors and tenants at office buildings and The Christopher - residential high rise nearby.

Ten is from restaurateurs and business partners John "JT" Reed and Leslie Nguyen of Daily Dose Hospitality, who already have two locations in Houston and the original in Irvine, California. JT and Leslie also operate two other concepts: Bosscat Kitchen & Libations in Houston and Orange County, and Byblos Cafe in Old Towne Orange, California.

According to a release, the menu is overseen by executive chef Toshi Muira, with hot and cold items and innovative ingredients, such as the use of black rice in their sushi rolls, how cool is that. Other culinary surprises include specialty sashimi with pink peppercorn, garlic chips, carrot, and lemon yuzu kosho dressing.

“Our ability to fuse Japanese sushi with our Pan-Asian hot kitchen brings a unique twist to Dallas," JT says in a statement. "We guarantee that even if you are not interested in raw food, you can find a beautifully cooked steak, curry or Korean style chicken dish on our menu.”

Bar director Brian Gilic oversees a program with sake, wine, and artsy cocktails such as the Lychee Rose with Absolut Elix, rose petals, citrus, and lychee; and the Shiso Gin to You with Sipsmith Gin, shiso leaf, citrus, and sichuan bitters. Exceptional service is also a must.

About the decor
The release says a LOT about the decor. Here's some numbers: It's a 4,295-square-foot space with a 14-seat mainstay circular bar and 16-seat lounge/dining area and a 1,050-square-foot patio. Run these masterfully written words across your tongue: "Finding that exact intersection of culinary artistry and visual art is not easy but Ten Sushi + Cocktail Bar has managed to elevate the typical dining experience with its stunning and creative ambiance."

That includes a "dark modern space" with floor-to-ceiling murals by California artist Jason Roose, whose work is described as "an urban, mixed-media style that incorporates spray paint, marker, acrylic and stencil, perfect for the reinvented Dallas dining scene."

Other decorative elements include bamboo flooring, Chinese lanterns, cherry blossoms, and a color scheme of pinks and purples against a black matte canvas.

“Since designing our first location in California we’ve taken pride in really giving each space its own personality," says Leslie Nguyen, co-owner and lead designer in a statement."Dallas is sexy, sleek and fierce - we wanted it to feel like you stepped into a new environment when arriving… escapism at its finest!”