Last month, Duro Hospitality unveiled its newest concept, Norman’s Japanese Grill, and it’s quickly becoming one of the city’s most sought-after reservations. The 10th concept for the Michelin-recognized group, Norman’s is a Japanese raw bar and grill with Texas twang, inspired by the hospitality group’s co-founders Chas Martin and Benji Homsey’s travels and growing reverence for Japan.
The restaurateurs created a vision for the concept through the eyes of a fictional World War II veteran named Norman, a Texan who fell in love with a woman and with Japanese culture during postwar U.S. occupation.
“We wanted this to feel like the kind of restaurant someone like Norman would build with his own hands over time—something honest and full of soul,” says Homsey in a press release. “This is our tribute to both Western and Eastern cultures.”
Design is a hallmark of Duro Hospitality, and Norman’s reflects the group’s dynamic style. Partners Corbin and Ross See of See’s Design created an effortless collision of western style and omotenashi, the Japanese philosophy of detail-oriented, selfless service.
“Think Kyoto ryokan meets Marfa bunkhouse,” Corbin See describes in the release. “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.”
The former 3,100-square-foot Homewood space on Oak Lawn Avenue was reimagined with opulence and ease. The space boasts a 70-seat dining room, with a seven-seat sushi bar. A palette of creams, browns, reds and blues joins weathered kimonos suspended from overhead, glowing lanterns, felt cowboy hats, and steely taxidermy to create a dramatic backdrop for the lively dining room. An extra 35 seats are spread out across the patio, which features a sunken indoor-outdoor bar.
“If John Wayne were to open a Japanese restaurant, this would be it,” Martin said in the announcement. “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.”
The menu is a study in contrast that keeps taste buds on edge. It embraces Texas’ meat-and-potatoes appetite with a refined, worldly palate, powered by an Argentinian-style wood-fired grill and Japanese charcoal robata. Offerings include handrolls, small plates, crudos, noodles, skewers and wood-fired entrees.
Start with the Oh’ Godzilla, a lavish handroll of bluefin tartar, Hokkaido uni, and ossetra caviar. The two-bite dish sets the tone for the Norman’s experience. Edamame hummus comes with shichimi togarashi-dusted wonton chips. Each bite is crunchy and earthy with a burst of sweetness from a plum chutney topping.
The udon carbonara has already become a crowd favorite, crafted with chewy noodles, smoked pork belly, pecorino Romano, and egg yolk. From the sushi menu, the fatty bluefin tuna otoro topped with shaved foie gras is every bit as indulgent as it sounds. Other highlights include Korean fried chicken, duck and kurobota pork meatballs, cold-smoked hamachi, and Romano beans with beef bacon furikake.
In Dallas, where steak is often considered a requirement, not an option, leaving a lasting impression is no small feat. Norman’s manages to do so with its dry-aged cowboy ribeye, a 20-ounce cut grilled over Texas hickory. If the smoky aroma doesn’t command your attention, the optional tableside-seared uni butter certainly will. The sliced beef is tender with sweet notes of tare glaze and cheesy uni butter, complemented by a bright papaya salad.
For now, reservations to Norman’s are scarce, with Dallas diners eager to experience the harmony of east meets west that awaits at the very real place inspired by a fictional character and the spirited minds of Duro Hospitality.
Norman’s Japanese Grill, 4002 Oak Lawn Ave., Dallas, normansjapanese.com
