Wanna be a cowboy? How about a Japanese one?
The fusion of East-meets-West at the recently debuted Norman’s Japanese Grill exceeded our expectations when we dined there for the first time two weeks ago.
Located in the former Homewood space on Oak Lawn Avenue (across from our home away from home, Equinox, and mere blocks from Highland Park), Norman’s combines high-end cuisine and casual vibes.
When we were invited in to experience Norman’s for ourselves, we were thrilled because to be perfectly transparent, prices fall on the higher end compared to nearby restaurants. But wow, the food, drinks and service all rise to the same level to create an exceptional experience.
Bar seating shown to the right
It’s no wonder this has been one of the hardest reservations in town to secure.
(Pro tip: You can get walk-in seating at the main bar, which will always be one of our favorite spots in any restaurant.)
Norman’s has opened the patio, too, which adds to the seating capacity significantly.
During our visit, we ordered something from nearly every section of the main menu, as well as sushi.
We began with the edamame hummus while we awaited tableside highballs. (The latter, though tasty, didn’t yield any wow factor worthy of a tableside presentation. We expected sparklers or a little dance or something.)
Next up, we tried one each of the hand rolls: a marinated lobster and an Oh, Godzilla.
Then, cold smoked hamachi crudo, udon carbonara and two skewers of duck and kurabata pork meatballs.
We concluded our savory gorgefest with a 20-ounce dry-aged, wood-fired ribeye with papaya salad and peanuts, accompanied by a side of summer asparagus with miso butter.
By this point, we’d thrown in the towel , but the manager insisted we try the dark chocolate gelato and Japanese cheesecake desserts.
As expected, they were as spectacular as every single other dish we had during our journey through the menu.
Next time you’re craving a little bit Texan and a little bit Japanese, Norman’s delivers the full culinary fantasy .
Norman’s Western Japanese Grill
4002 Oak Lawn Avenue, Dallas
normansjapanese.com
