Sushi Kozy Brings a New Style of Omakase, Plus Great News for Cry Wolf Fans

Dallas’ love affair with omakase continues to blossom. In downtown Dallas, Sushi Kozy hopes to tap into the trend with a unique take on the traditional omakase experience. We had a chance to steal an early look at the space with general manager Bronson Kang a few weeks ago, and Kang shared some details that he and chef Paul Ko believe will set Sushi Kozy apart from the crowd.

The dining room on Ross Avenue is filled with warm woods and a minimal, clean aesthetic. But unlike many omakase-only restaurants, Sushi Kozy will offer both a sushi bar and regular tables for up to 40 guests at a time, with plenty of flexibility when it comes to dining times. There’s also a small private dining room that seats eight guests comfortably for a more secluded, private dining experience.

Whereas many omakase experiences have limited seating times of, say 5:30 or 8 p.m., Sushi Kozy will accept reservations at all times during dinner service, and will even allocate seats for potential walk-in diners. Chef Ko believes that change, along with a modern but traditional seasonal menu, will help Sushi Kozy stand out.

Ko, as well as many of the staff at Sushi Kozy, came from the Uchi family of restaurants. Ko himself spent seven years as a sushi chef at Uchi Dallas, and he says that his time at Uchi helped influence what he wants to see in his own restaurant.

“Uchi has established very strong cultural and operational foundation for their employees,” Ko says. “What I learned and loved from my time while being at Uchi  is applying core values at the work and my personal life to be better chef and individual.”

Ko is also playing with the classic omakase menu, which mostly offers multiple nigiri courses, by interspersing less traditional offerings courtesy of his chef de cuisine, Ross Demers.

Yes, that Ross Demers, formerly of Cry Wolf, who is trying his hand at Japanese cooking. Demers tells us he spent his time away after the closure of Cry Wolf to recharge and reset, and he’s excited by the opportunity to put his skills to work in a new cuisine. Demers also tells us he’s OK if that means he’s not the main attraction at the restaurant.

“Paul and I met and it was just an instant bond of just sharing thoughts on how we feel all cooking or restaurant and hospitality should be,” Demers says. “I think within 10 minutes of sharing a coffee, this was just something that we both felt was gonna be really, really great and just there was no second-guessing that since that moment.”

Demers says that he’s been excited to learn the finer points of Japanese cuisine from Ko. From Ko’s perspective, it’s Demers’ completely different background that will make the kitchen better.

“His presence, leadership and experiences are one of the most important values for our team, and it all will be reflected on his dishes and foods on the table by himself and his team,” Ko says.

Demers’ influence will arrive via dishes that deviate from the traditional nigiri courses. Kang says diners can expect a pre-fixe menu that might be 16 courses, but only nine will be nigiri. Guests can expect non-traditional dishes like otsumami, a Japanese small bite that may present a scallop tartlet or a Wagyu tartare brioche that lends a more modern slant compared to other omakase experiences. Sushi Kozy will also employ a pastry chef, and Demers explains that the menu truly is a group effort.

“There’s four of us involved in the menu, and [Paul] gives us free range,” Demers says. “It’s a very mature way of speaking and talking ingredients and collaborating, and those are situations where I thrive.”

In addition to the collaborative menu, Kang tells us Sushi Kozy will embrace the fine dining aspects that many restaurants seem to eschew.

“We really want to focus on that fine dining element,” Kang says. “Dallas has kind of strayed from that, where you get fine dining casual, but we hope our guests will appreciate the difference.”

Also, unlike most omakase experiences, Kang tells us Sushi Kozy expects to offer lunch a few months after opening to take advantage of the large number of office workers downtown during the day.

Kang says that Suhi Kozy will have an admirable wine and sake list. Wines will focus mostly on European and old-world vintages, while the sake selections will have an impressive scope. Sake-based cocktails will take the place of a regular full bar.

Sushi Kozy’s tasting experience aligns with others in the city ($185 per person) with optional sake and wine pairings. We can’t help but think that with the addition of Demers, as well as flexible seatings, Sushi Kozy will differentiate itself from a pool of omakase experiences in Dallas.

Sushi Kozy expects to open in mid-January, and even if a meal there represents a splurge, it’s one that we look forward to making.

Sushi Kozy, 2000 Ross Ave., No. 150. Expected opening is January 2025.