A news release says it’s two concepts in one (which we’re going read and say — there are two restaurants opening): Ounce and Ichi Ni San (the latter of which we briefly mentioned earlier this week).
They come from the efforts of chefs Brian Zenner (Oak and Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek) and Peja Krstic (Mot Hai Ba), along with a cocktail program by beverage director Alex Fletcher (JAXON).
Zenner brings Ounce, a Texas-inspired brasserie offering small plates. Expect French onion soup, roasted mushrooms and bacon toast, grilled Spanish octopus and lamb tartare.
“I drew my inspiration for Ounce from the robust flavors of Texas combined with influences from the vibrant cuisines of Europe and the Mediterranean,” Zenner said in the release. “With everything we’ve all endured this year, a little food escapism goes a long way.”
Krstic’s Ichi Ni San is “the chef’s admittedly nontraditional take on Japanese cuisine” offering twists on classic dishes while still having a straightforward approach to sushi and sashimi. Highlights on this menu inlcude pork rib katsu, kampachi and cucumber and a chicken and omelet rice bowl.
Fletcher's beverage program will go toward both restaurants, geared to have a variety of cocktails and wines that pair with both chefs’ food.
“As we started putting the list together, we were fortunate enough to buy hundreds of bottles at auction in New York, and even more on consignment from private collections,” Fletcher says in the release. “We have bottles you just can’t find anymore – things like verticals from the ‘70s from the best Bordeaux producers – and in some cases, it’s stuff I’ve never even tried. I’m like a kid in a candy store, and I hope our guests feel that way, too.”
As for COVID-19 safety, here’s what the restaurants will have in place:
"In accordance with pandemic safety, all surfaces will be consistently sanitized; UV lamps will be turned on at night to disinfect the bar area and tables, single-use condiments will be available to guests; anti-septic hand wash provided in the restrooms; the host stand and server stations will be equipped with hand sanitizer for everyone to use; all regularly touched surfaces including, doors, handles, bar tops, POS terminals, and restrooms will be wiped down regularly and every table after each seating; all food handling procedures will be double checked along with regular hand washing throughout each shift; all kitchen staff are wearing masks and gloves. We will have paperless menus available via QR codes available to scan around the restaurant and single-use disposable menus available for each customer."
If you haven’t seen this part of downtown since the screen went up and restaurants went in, it’s worth checking out — you can do so by walking around outside with a mask on and keeping distance, too. A recent pop-up by Revolver Taco Lounge took us there (for some seriously good tacos), and it was delightful to see this part of the Central Business District enlivened with energy.
Ounce and Ichi Ni San, 211 S. Akard Street at the AT&T Discovery District (downtown), 972-268-7606. Set to open Dec. 16
