Dallas to get its first Japanese restaurant obsessed with onigiri

Rice News

GoGogiri menu includes onigiri and fried dumplings.

A restaurant dedicated to a classic Japanese dish is opening in Dallas: Called GoGogiri, it's a concept whose signature item is onigiri, a portable treat consisting of rice formed into a ball or triangular shape, stuffed with a pickled or salted filling, and wrapped in dried seaweed.

GoGogiri will open in North Dallas at 17421 Preston Rd., in a former gyro restaurant. According to the owners, the restaurant will open sometime in September.

Onigiri goes back centuries in Japan when balls of rice were eaten on picnics and while traveling, or carried by samurai soldiers while in battle. Japan Timescalls it "the perfect morning meal," and Tokyo is home to onigiri-centric spots such as Onigiri Bongo.

The dish can be found at some Dallas restaurants such as Tei An, but we do not currently have a restaurant that makes the dish its centerpiece as GoGogiri does.

Their onigiri strays from traditional fillings such as seaweed, with options such as Wagyu beef and fried chicken, and they make them extra-big. Whereas most onigiri is about the size of nigiri — IE an oval of rice topped with fish — GoGogiri's onigiri is fist-sized, so you can really make a meal out of it. They're about $5 each.

GoGogiri was founded in Lubbock by a group of young friends just out of college, including Dallas native Will Eckles, and former Texas Tech students Ian Greenberg and Harrison Nguyen.

"We started out in 2021 as a food truck, but we always had Dallas in our sights," Eckles says. "Opening in West Texas gave us a chance to test the market for onigiri and get some experience under our belt."

As a Dallas native, Eckles knew the local terrain.

"The location where we're opening is centrally located and it's right next to Shelton School — I'm an alumni, so I know the area very well," he says.

Eckles says that he and Greenberg came up with the idea after traveling to Tokyo together.

"It's something you find there even in convenience stores, and we were inspired to bring it home to Texas," he says. "But ours are big with unique fillings like Wagyu and Katsu fried chicken."

The Gung Ho Chicken Riceball includes pimento cheese, pickles, katsu chicken, and choice of sauce from choices that include Blazin', umami bomb, and kimchi mayo.

Other options include Spam, spicy pork, and crispy potato.

They also do occasional non-onigiri items like the "sloppy Joe" with Wagyu beef, pimento cheese, pickles, and slaw on a bun. There are Korean corndogs and a line of fried chicken sandwiches served with spicy Cajun fries on the side.

The team does not lack for ambition or entrepreneurial courage, with a goal is to become a nationwide chain. They still have their original food truck in Lubbock, which is open on weekends, and are finalizing a deal to open a location at the Abilene Airport.