SMU Undergraduate To Open Second Restaurant
SMU undergraduate Brandon Cohanim is doing it again.
The 21-year-old who brought Dallas its first poke restaurant has ventured out with a new concept, Namo – an intimate 20-seat handroll sushi bar that will serve a rotating selection of craft handrolls and sashimi dishes.
Following the success of his first concept, Pōk the Raw Bar, Cohanim will open his second restaurant in Uptown late this summer.
Featuring modern yet warm design elements such as rolled steel and Japanese Sugi wood, the walk-in bar will serve as the center of the concept. Guests will enjoy a rotating selection of individually crafted handrolls and sashimi dishes with sake, beer, and wine available on tap.
The menu at Namo will offer a stripped down approach to Japanese hand rolls and sashimi – one that allows the natural flavors of each high-quality ingredient to truly shine.
A rotating menu of hand rolls (each inspired by Cohanim’s travels and experiences around the world) will feature 12 options at a time, each ranging from $4.00 to $7.50, and available in prix-fixe orders of three, four, five or six – as well as a la carte.
Seaweed for each hand roll is specially harvested from Japan, then roasted at a secret temperature and speed specific to Namo – and giving each bite a “crunch” guests can hear and feel. Cohanim traveled to The Tsukiji Fish Market, the largest wholesale fish and seafood market in the world, to speak with fishmongers and learn about the fish from the experts and establish personal relationships with them. Seeking to re-define how Dallasites view sushi, Namo will feature the highest quality, freshest fish available.
Unique to Namo will be multiple beverages on tap, including beer, wine, sake, and a Nitro Cold Brew Tea. Cohanim has found that the addition of nitrogen to tea, enhances natural flavors while adding a subtle sweetness and a velvety texture. Namo will also offer the first sake on tap option in the city.
Cohanim says every aspect of the restaurant was thoughtfully designed to ensure a truly unique, sensory experience. From designing and manufacturing custom beer and wine glass to wall tile, the space will offer an artful mix of natural and modern materials, where raw meets refined, and new meets old. The store’s exterior will feature Japanese sugi wood – a centuries-old technique preformed on Japanese cedar to preserve and finish the wood by charring it with fire – treated by an artisan in Wyoming. The resin bar top will feature accents of hot-rolled steel, adding dimension and color, while 20 custom-designed bar stools provide comfortable, yet chic seating for guests.
Following its opening, Namo will roll-out sushi bento boxes, to-go. A selection of up to four cut rolls and a sashimi option will be available for carry-out – allowing guests to enjoy the Namo experience at home or the office.
The restaurant will be located at 3399 McKinney Ave.
