Until now, Travis Street Hospitality has focused on French dining. That direction began 12 years ago when the group brought Le Bilboquet from New York City to Dallas, and then continued with local favorites Knox Bistro and Georgie, all on the same strip of the vibrant Knox District. Recently, the group expanded its purview with two new concepts, Le PasSage and Rose Cafe, that spotlight Asian flavors grounded in French technique.
The side-by-side restaurants opened in late October at The Terminal at Katy Trail, a mixed-use development that blends retail, residential, and dining.
Le PasSage’s name has a dual meaning. It refers to passage and travel, themes evident in the design of the restaurant. But it’s also a play on the French phrase “tu n’es pas sage,” which literally translates to “you are not wise” and is commonly directed at naughty children. It’s a tongue-in-cheek nod to the group’s ethos of making serious food without taking themselves too seriously.
The spacious patio sits on the popular Katy Trail. Photo credit: Evan Sung
The 4,800-square-foot space was designed by Michael Hsu Office of Architecture and leans into the golden age of travel, with rich woods, jewel-tone fabrics and luxe furnishings inspired by the legendary Orient Express train.
Neighboring Rose Cafe is a more casual venue, serving breakfast and coffee in the morning and then small bites and drinks in the evening. Its space features a green-tiled bar and covered patio that looks onto the walkable trail directly behind it.
Le PasSage is the group’s first Asian restaurant, but it’s not a major changeup for the founders, Stephan Courseau and Daniele Garcia, who have personal and professional experience with that cuisine.
Select dishes are made to share, like Peking duck and a whole lobster. Photo credit: Evan Sung
“Daniele and I moved from NYC 13 years ago and missed NYC classics such as Vietnamese restaurant Indochine and Chinese restaurant Mr. Chow,” said Courseau, who also worked for Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s French-Thai concept, Vong.
“Vietnamese and Chinese cuisines have always been represented in France, and particularly in my hometown of Paris, where each neighborhood often had both — some of them very refined,” Courseau said.
Le PasSage’s menu spans dishes from Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, and China. Standouts include Shaking Beef made with grass-fed filet mignon, green prawns with cashews, gochujang roasted chicken, Dover sole with lemon grass butter, Peking duck served with pancakes, and a ginger-scallion whole lobster.
Dinner at Rose Cafe features shareable plates like fried Vietnamese spring rolls, papaya salad, pork bao buns, Cambodian lemon grass steak skewers, and shrimp toast with ginger, sesame oil, and pineapple chile sauce.
“We all know the influence of the French occupation in Vietnam with such items as bánh mì, but the influence of Southeast Asia’s food culture is also very present in France, and French chefs have always regarded these cuisines as major,” said Courseau. “Bruno Davaillon was equally excited about the opportunity to bring French techniques to these dishes.”
Rose Cafe is a more casual concept, with an indoor/outdoor bar and small plates. Photo credit: Evan Sung
Davaillon is the culinary director for both concepts and brings a wealth of experience to the table. He’s the chef and partner of Knox Bistro in Dallas, and he formerly held executive chef roles at Bouillon in Dallas and Alain Ducasse’s Mix restaurant in Las Vegas.
He’s joined by Le PasSage executive chef Hou Lam “Dicky” Fung, a Hong Kong native who previously worked at Mr. Chow, and pastry chef Dyan Ng, who worked at Mix and Guy Savoy in Las Vegas. Chef Sotear Tep helms Rose Cafe.
Looking forward, Travis Street Hospitality is working on a restaurant called Frenchie that’s slated to open next year in Dallas’s Preston Center neighborhood.
Courseau describes Frenchie as “an all-day, unassuming restaurant for families and couples alike, where French food is rooted in Mediterranean influences with a healthy California approach.”
It will open early for breakfast and coffee, moving to fresh salads and grilled fish and meats for lunch and dinner. Diners can expect a handful of French classics, too, like rotisserie chicken and steak frites au poivre.
