12 December 5 - 11, 2024 dallasobserver.com DALLAS OBSERVER Classified | MusiC | dish | Culture | unfair Park | Contents ▼ FIRST LOOK PASSING FANCY TAKE A LAVISH JOURNEY ABOARD LE PASSAGE. BY DESIREE GUTIERREZ L ate summer leading into early fall, Katy Trail visitors couldn’t hide their curiosity. Runners and walkers peered into windows and poked around patios at The Terminal at the Katy Trail, vying for a glimpse of what was to come. In mid-October, all questions were an- swered when Le PasSage, an Asian-French restaurant by Travis Street Hospitality, opened its doors. The hunger-inducing aro- mas of Thai herbs, miso and ginger scented the air around Katy Trail, transforming the weekend fitness hotspot into one of the big- gest dinner destinations of 2024. For foodies, Le PasSage was no curiosity. Travis Street Hospitality, the group behind Le Bilboquet and the Michelin-recognized Knox Bistro and Georgie, has made 2024 a year for the books, highlighted by executive chef RJ Yoakum’s transformation of the latter. Le PasSage invited the Observer for a cu- linary journey led by executive chef Hou Lam “Dicky” Fung from Hong Kong. He was previously the corporate chef at the celeb- rity favorite Mr. Chow, which has 15 loca- tions across the country. If you walk in from Buena Vista Street, Le PasSage is almost hidden. A black door with a small sign signals your destination. Inside, guests are transported to a dimly lit train carriage with jewel tones, rich woods, golden fixtures, eye-catching white rose sconces and warm lantern pendants, all set- ting a luxurious tone. Most impressive is the bathroom, with its curved, tiled ceiling. A large white sink takes center stage; floral wallpaper, backlit arched vanity mirrors and gold-embellished doors are Parisian chic. We began our meal in a cozy corner. The restaurant was slow at 6:30 p.m. but full by 7. Owner Stephen Courseau told The Dallas Morning News that Le PasSage is a French- Asian restaurant, not fusion, offering a jour- ney of regional cuisines. There are plenty of nods to Fung’s native Hong Kong, propped by French cooking techniques. The appetizer menu has 13 options includ- ing traditional Cantonese steamed shrimp and pork dumplings ha gao and Chinese pork dumplings shumai — both $14 for four pieces. After contemplating the Chinese baby back ribs ($28), we opted for the scallops crudo ($24) and eggplant dumplings ($18). The eggplant dumplings are a standout dish: Eggplant and miso are bundled inside dumplings and served atop a yuzu soy sauce. The scallops crudo, made with a creamy Thai tom kha sauce, lime oil and puffed quinoa, are refreshing. Can’t decide on an appetizer? Try the Pullman plate ($38), an appe- tizer combo with two pieces of chicken satay, shrimp toast, Viet- namese spring rolls and bluefin tuna leaves. Le PasSage’s 25-page bar menu — overseen by level-two sommelier Daniel Bowman — spans cocktails, Japanese beer, sake and wine by the glass or bottle. Japan native and mix- ologist George Kaiho and Travis Street Hospitality executive mixolo- gist Mario Martinez oversee Le Pas- Sage’s Asian-inspired craft cocktail menu with spins on traditional cock- tails. That street cred behind the bar comes with a bite: all house craft cocktails are $20-plus. The Buddha Bliss ($23) is a basil-y Paloma, and the Paper Crane ($20) is a Japa- nese whiskey Paper Plane. The Pandan Espresso Tini ($20) is a pandan-infused sweeter version of the traditional cocktail menu must-have. Memoirs of a Geisha is a balanced $45 spin on a margarita served in an iron kettle, which serves two. Japanese Kikori rice whiskey adds smokiness to the margarita. Dinner options include some shareable main courses. There’s a $180 Peking duck for four and a $95 ginger-scallion whole lobster served with Cantonese Yi-Mien noodles for two. Main courses for one include vegan braised tofu ($24), gluten-free green prawns ($34), Texas wagyu NY strip with white soy- miso butter ($58) and a herbaceous steamed halibut served with ginger beurre blanc ($44). The tender $56 Shaking Beef with chunks of filet mignon in a subtle lime sauce is a safe bet for unadventurous eaters. The $42 five-spice duck breast comes with a well-seasoned skin and caramel- ized mango made for a sweet and savory bite. Pair these dishes with the fluffy fried rice ($14) and stir- fried Chinese broccoli ($16). Pastry chef Dyan Ng concocted an inno- vative dessert menu for Le PasSage. The yo- gurt and mushroom dessert ($12) is served with a sweet almond sable cookie and made with a mushroom caramel that plays well on the tongue. The crunchy and airy smoked tea donut ($12) is comforting. Le PasSage will soon open for brunch on a date to be determined. Le PasSage, 4205 Buena Vista St. Sunday – Monday, 5–9 p.m.; Tuesday – Thursday, 5–10 p.m.; Friday – Saturday, 5–11. ▼ OPENINGS GETTING THE BOOT ARI’S PANTRY IS AN ITALIAN GROCERY STORE SERVING OAK CLIFF AND TRINITY GROVES, WITH LOYAL CUSTOMERS FROM ALL OVER THE DALLAS AREA.BY AAREN PRODY W hile most visit Italy and think, I should move here, Ari and Amy Lowenstein thought to bring Ita- ly’s renowned culinary scene to Dallas when he first opened Ari’s Pantry in December 2023. The dream was just a seed decades ago. After spending 10 years in Rome, Ari dis- covered his passion for food among the aisles of his neighborhood market, Mercato Rionale. Every day, he walked there to pur- chase ingredients for his next meal. While doing so, he became friends with the long- time vendors who also served as his men- tors in Italian cooking. Ari’s Pantry in Oak Cliff, a quaint shop on the western edge of the Bishop Arts District along Davis, is modeled after those days in Rome, where every grocery trip was personable and intimate. The vi- sion came to fruition just last year after Ari left his job as executive vice president of a wholesale company. The market has been wildly successful, with customers travel- ing across North Texas for authentic Ital- ian imports, and returning for the hospitality. While most offerings can be found in specialty stores across the city — except Ari’s own jarred tomato sauce — the hospitality here is unmatched. If you desire, you’ll get a personal shopper. Rec- ipe cards for great dishes and everything you need are available in the store. Upon checkout, fresh herbs are even offered. Last week, the Lowensteins opened a second location in Trinity Groves at 3011 Gulden Lane, joining neighbor La Rue Doughnuts. Just imagine getting the ingre- dients for a from-scratch Italian meal and a doughnut for your effort. Inside Ari’s Pantry is a treasure trove of ingredients: pasta, olive oil, cheese, meats, cocktail ingredients, housewares, prepared foods, his scratch-made pasta sauce, pizza dough and anything else under the Italian sun. The new location has a commercial kitchen that will allow Amy, Ari and their team to host private dinners, cooking classes, prepared food pick-ups and in-per- son staffed events. By the end of 2025, Ari hopes to have four pantry locations serving Italian tradi- tion in North Texas. The next opening is slated for the spring of ’25 in Coppell. (Original location) Ari’s Pantry, 1307 1/2 W. Davis St.; Monday - Sunday, 9 a.m. - 7 p.m. (New location) Ari’s Pantry, 3011 Gulden Lane; Monday - Sunday, 9 a.m. - 7 p.m. Lauren Drewes Daniels Ari’s Pantry, an Italian grocery, serves Oak Cliff. Evan Sung Le Passage is an almost hidden gem. City of Atefrom p11
