Groot Hospitality introduced Komodo, a Southeast Asian-inspired restaurant to Dallas
Miami-based Groot Hospitality, led by the successful entrepreneur David Grutman, has recently introduced its Southeast Asian restaurant concept, Komodo, to Dallas. The new restaurant is located within The Epic and serves as Groot Hospitality’s second Komodo location, and its first outside of the Miami market. Grutman highlights the development of The Epic, helmed by KDC and Dallas-based Westdale, as the main motivation behind Groot’s entry into the Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) market, particularly given Uber’s imminent headquarters in the area.
Grutman’s expansion strategy takes into account the high number of visitors who travel from Dallas to Miami, making it an ideal location for Groot’s profitable expansion. Komodo is already a sensation in Miami, with the flagship location in the area generating $41 million in revenue and earning the title of the top-grossing restaurant in the country in 2022. Furthermore, three of Groot Hospitality’s ten concepts ranked among the top 20 on Restaurant Business Online’s list of the Top 100 Independent Restaurants. Swan, a restaurant focused on seasonal ingredients, created in collaboration with Pharrell Williams, ranked third, while Papi’s Steak, a steakhouse established in conjunction with hedge fund manager David ‘Papi’ Einhorn, placed at No. 18.
Komodo Dallas serves the same menu as its flagship location in Miami, with additional meat-based offerings aimed at Texans. The new additions to the meat-centered menu include quail, Texas wagyu beef, fried chicken, and the Grutman Pastrami Egg Roll, made using locally sourced ingredients. The 22,500 square-foot, two-story Komodo restaurant features modern and custom-printed wallpaper by Toronto artist Candice Kaye.
As part of the Invited Celebrity Classic presented by Choctaw Casinos & Resorts, a PGA Tour Champions competition, Invited awarded a total of $20,000 in grants to various non-profit organizations. Before the event, Tim Brown, Roger Clemens, Dicky Pride, Ivan ‘Pudge’ Rodriguez, and DeMarcus Ware competed in a friendly game of golf at the Globe Life Field’s home plate to raise money for DFW non-profits. Team Football, led by Ware and Brown, won the competition, and the First Tee of Greater Dallas, as well as the Momentous Institute and First Tee Fort Worth, each received cash prizes.
M Crowd Restaurant Group, the parent company of Mi Cocina, Taco Diner, and The Mercury, has acquired a 25,300-square-foot office and technology building in Carrollton to consolidate its corporate headquarters, employee training, test kitchen, warehouse, and distribution center. The firm plans to move in by the fall of 2023, in line with its objective to enhance its product branding and expand its operations.
The Realm at Castle Hills, a massive mixed-use development worth $1.5 billion situated in Lewisville, has welcomed three new occupants: Cheeky Monkeys, 206 Luster Grill, and Cachet Salons & Spa. Cheeky Monkeys, a play area and birthday celebration center; 206 Luster Grill, offering Seattle-style teriyaki cuisine; and Cachet Salons & Spa, a luxurious leasing area for salon professionals, will occupy over 7,250 sq ft, over 2,257 sq ft, and over 10,962 sq ft, respectively, upon completion of the site.
During the summer of 2024, the Travis Street Hospitality Group will introduce Le Marais, a French restaurant concept. Stephan Courseau, the firm’s founder and CEO, will introduce his first-ever restaurant serving French fare at Rosewood Mansion. Guests can enjoy genuine French cuisine produced from locally sourced components inside an elegant location complemented by refined design, described as a sophisticated social and sensory encounter. The Travis Street Hospitality Group firmly believes that establishing itself as a prestigious gastronomic destination via the introduction of Le Marais restaurant will strengthen Dallas’s global reputation as a cultural and culinary capital.
