TEN Sushi and Cocktail Bar Lands in Victory Park

TEN Sushi and Cocktail Bar held its grand opening last week, even though it's been open for a couple of months or so. The restaurant is on the ground floor of The Christopher, a shiny building that towers over The Henry and North Italia. TEN is in the space once occupied by Atipico.

The completely remolded space has a swanky cocktail lounge and sushi bar that will be lots of fun for pregaming the Stars and Mavericks this season. And when the weather cooperates, the long outdoor patio that flows onto the plaza will likely be buzzing.
TEN Sushi is the first local foray from business partners John Reed and Leslie Nguyen of Daily Dose Hospitality. In addition to two other TEN locations (Irvine, California, and Houston), they operate a couple of other restaurants. They expanded to Dallas, well, because everyone is doing it. ("Population density" and the evolving scene are mentioned in the press release.)

Given the option, we love sitting at the bar (the sushi or liquor kind) as it's more interactive and you're more likely to get the scoop on "What's good here." TEN offers both: a long, high sushi bar where diners can watch the sushi being made and get a peek in the kitchen. The cocktail bar is a half-circle with a couple of TVs overhead. There are also tables and deep plush pink booths for cozy dates. Floor-to-ceiling (literally some are on the ceiling) murals done by artist Jason Roose add an urban pop to the space.

Party note: TEN Sushi is not related to TEN Ramen, although we think they should meet. Both are very nice.

The sushi scene in Dallas is certainly busy these days. Here, you may appreciate that in addition to rolls of sushi and cuts of sashimi, you can get a large plate of Shaken beef filet, Mongolian beef, Bangkok curry and ol' reliable orange chicken. So, bring the kids. Perhaps.

We started with crispy rice sushi ($13), slightly flattened balls of crispy rice topped with a dollop of spicy tuna, a touch of soy and a jalapeño sriracha mayo crown. We could have eaten five plates of these. Alas, we got one.
The madai carpaccio ($21) is beautifully plated, with smooth cuts showcasing the delicate texture of the red snapper. A touch of dry miso adds umami, elevating the flavor of this seemingly simple dish. Halibut sashimi comes dressed simply in salt and one pink peppercorn over a yuzu koshu and ponzu for a touch of citrus, each piece a refreshing and light bite.
There are nine rolls on the lunch menu, which is nice. Who needs to decide between four pages of rolls at lunch? It's already election season after all. The Forbidden Roll ($22) is a signature dish made with black "forbidden" rice, historically reserved only for the wealthy and powerful in olden China. Here, the firm texture of the rice is nice and topped with a cut of seared ahi. It's stuffed with albacore, a crab mix, spicy tuna (a triple play of tunas), cucumber and avocado.
We ended our meal with a big plate of Mongolian beef ($20 at lunch, $26 at dinner) with shimeji mushrooms and onion, which was enough for two and leftovers. Other entrees include special fried rice ($17) and Bangkok curry ($22). We appreciate that the lunch prices are a wee bit lower than dinner and, again, very sharable sizes.

There's also a six-piece nigiri lunch sampler that's "chef's choice," which is how you say omakase in English.

Happy hour runs from 3 to 6 p.m. Small bites range from $7 to $10, house wine is $6 and six cocktails are all priced at $11. Yum.

For parking, use the adjacent garage and follow the signs to the retail parking area. It's easy and free, which is saying a LOT for that area.

TEN is a nice addition to the neighborhood that we'll keep on our radar. If you're thinking of hitting the place before a game, check the weekend hours; it's not open until 4 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

TEN Sushi, 2301 N. Akard St. Monday – Thursday, 11 a.m. –10 p.m.; Friday, 11 a.m. – midnight; Saturday, 4 p.m. – midnight; Sunday 4–10 p.m.