This July, The Star will be home to a new Japanese restaurant. Musume, which already has locations in downtown Dallas and downtown Fort Worth, is opening a new spot, bringing its massive sake catalogue, too.
Musume is slated to open in July 2025, with a private tatami room, two bars, a 20-plus seat sushi bar and Texas-meets-Japan- inspired decor. Menu-wise, expect sushi and sashimi, Asian dishes, vegetarian and vegan options and a curated omakase. The Frisco location will offer North Dallas’ largest selection of premium sake and Japanese whisky, along with an extensive wine list and craft cocktails. The drink menu proudly proclaims, "Largest sake portfolio in North America."
I love sake! Heck, I've written a book about the drink. And Musume's lengthy list has a bunch of classic brews as well as interesting expressions. The list does change, but perusing the most recent ones, I see some standouts and favs:
- Ima Oyster: A junmai (“pure rice”) sake by Niigata-based Imayo Tsukasa specifically brewed to be paired with oysters. If you are ever in Niigata City, Imayo Tsukasa is worth a visit.
- Tatsuriki Kimoto Tokubetsu Junmai (“special pure rice”): Hyogo-based Honda Shoten is one of my favorite breweries. They're known for getting some of the best, high-grade sake brewing rice. Here, they use an old, laborious technique called "kimoto" to make the yeast starter. The result is a rich and robust sake with caramel, nougat and ricey notes. Fabulous stuff.
- Dewazakura Oka: A classic, floral sake that helped kick off the ginjo premium sake boom in Japan during the 1980s.
- IWA 5: Richard Geoffroy (an interesting guy!) was previously chef de cave at Dom Pérignon and is now making delicious sake in Toyama.
There are other interesting sakes I spied, like a bodaimoto junmai. (Bodaimoto uses a monk's style of yeast-starter preparation that was perfected in Nara, Japan's ancient capital, and results in a highly acidic sake that many wine drinkers would enjoy). Of course, there are high-end sake standards like Dassai, Born and so on. The restaurant also has a solid Japanese whisky list, with classic Japanese whiskies from Suntory, Nikka, Mars and Eigashima Shuzo, the last of which is best known for its Akashi whiskies and, interestingly, also makes amazing sakes when not distilling whisky.
“We are thrilled to bring Musume to Frisco and offer the greater North Dallas community an extraordinary Japanese dining experience,” said Josh Babb, co-owner of Musume and co-founder of Rock Libations. “From our fresh fish flown in daily and tableside handmade ramen to offering the most extensive selections of premium sake and Japanese whisky in the country, every detail will be crafted to provide an unforgettable culinary experience. We look forward to welcoming Frisco and its surrounding communities to dine and drink with us this summer!”
Is Musume expanding beyond downtown Dallas and downtown Fort Worth further proof of DFFW? Whatever it is, it is great news for Japanese food-and-drink lovers in the northern parts of North Texas. Kanpai, indeed.
___
Hungry for more? Check out our dining guide.
Don't miss anything Local. Sign up for our free newsletter.
