Bar News

2 new companion Dallas high-energy restaurant-bars debut in Deep Ellum

There'll be food, drink, music, and games.

Photo courtesy of So Clutch

Not one but two companion high-energy restaurant-bars are coming to Deep Ellum: Called The Sporting Club and Blüm, they're side-by-side venues that will open at 2516 Florence St., right off Good Latimer Expressway, and according to a release, will make their much anticipated debut on April 15.

The venues are a new concept from SoClutch Group, a hospitality company that owns bars in Austin, Chicago, Dallas, Fort Worth, Frisco, and Houston. They'll span 22,000 square feet, with two atmospheres for dining, drinking, and private events:

Blüm will be a Vegas-style day and night club serving Italian, Southern fusion while offering bottle service with a DJ driven high-energy atmosphere.
The Sporting Club will focus on sporting events and outdoor fun games such as corn hole, ping pong and table games. Large format cocktails and shareable bites will be offered.

The space was once home to a Sherwin Williams paint store, which has moved down the block, although its 40-foot-tall sign at the corner of Florence and Good Latimer remains. The location has been lavishly remodeled into an open concept which incorporates an extra-large outdoor space.

All rooms will have sports streaming, food, and DJ, including a lounge area that will blend the vibes of both Sporting Club and Blüm. Unique cocktails and games including vintage-style videogames will be motifs.

"We’re excited to bring The Sporting Club and Blüm to the Deep Ellum area. We’ve created a venue for the everyday sports viewer, girls night out and for people looking to take it up a level and party at our day and night club Blüm,” says Rico Taylor, Owner, SoClutch Group.

The two venues are housed in one venue, which can serve a broad range of times, from lunch to dinner to nightlife to brunch. Guests will be able to move around between spaces and have different social experiences.

Decor
Blüm is a botanical wonderland filled with a refined whimsy vibe featuring white paneled millwork paired with tropical palm wallpaper giving it a garden room feel.

The Sporting Club is a take on nostalgia and athletics with vintage patterns integrated throughout the space providing a comfortable yet energetic vibe.

A few elements have been carried throughout the whole space to provide cohesiveness such as the use of white and green to provide visual unity.

Cocktails
The extensive signature cocktail program features separate menus for both Sporting Club and Blüm inspired by the look and feel of the space.

Blüm’s drink menu includes a blend of unique libations with botanical and herbal highlights, such as the Lavender Bliss made with Gin, Lavender, Lemon, Lime and Egg White or the Night in Bangkok with Vodka, Thai Basil, Vanilla and Hellfire Bitters.

The Sporting Club menu includes four frozen drinks including the Peach Blossom Froze and the Strawberry Sangaree with Cruzan Light Rum, Red Wine, Strawberry, Orange and Nutmeg. Cocktails at the Sporting Club include the Hunting Dog featuring Vodka, Aperol, Honey, Lemon, Grapefruit and Salt, along with the Habanero Fresca made with Tequila, Cucumber, Basil, Lime and Habanero with a Tajin rim.

Additional brunch-inspired drinks will be available Saturday and Sunday. Each venue will feature beer and mimosa “Towers” that serve a minimum of four people. The drink program will also include an extensive wine and beer list.

Food
The dinner menu includes appetizers, such as the Burrata Bruschetta, Caramelized Onion Dip and a Fry Flight featuring an array of dipping sauces. Dinner options include specialty pizzas with house-made crusts, handhelds such as a Cheeseburger, Filet Sandwich or Hot & Spicy Chicken Sandwich. The menu also includes entrée options of Filet Mignon, Chilean Seabass and Double Cut Pork Chop among others. Dessert options include Confetti Cakes from local bakery Daisy Cakes. The Brunch menu includes traditional breakfast fare to include an Omelet, Eggs Benedict and breakfast with sweet options such as Blueberry Almond Buttermilk Pancakes and Italian French Toast.

SoClutch is not stopping here: They're also opening another venue called Vice Park, described as a lively Miami-influenced night club, two blocks away at 2601 Gaston Ave. in winter 2021.

The Sporting Club will be open Monday-Friday 4 pm-2 am, with weekend brunch on Saturdays-Sundays at 10 am. Blüm will be open Thursday-Friday 9 pm-2 am, Saturday-Sunday 10 am-2 am. For info, visit homeoftheplayers.com.

deep-ellum nightlife

Hummus News

Revered family-owned Mediterranean restaurant debuts in North Dallas

Samantha Marie Photography

Zon Zon food spread

An upscale Mediterranean restaurant is coming to North Dallas from a trusted name: Called Zon Zon, it'll open at 5455 Belt Line Rd. #130, in the Work/Shop center, and it's hospitality group Yela Concepts led by Yaser Khalaf (Darna, Baboush), together with his son Mak Khalef in their first collaboration.

According to a release, it'll open on December 22.

Named for Mak's sister Zaina (“Zon Zon”), the restaurant will be open for lunch and dinner with a refined take on Mediterranean dining, rooted in tradition but with modern influences.

"We tried to merge what embodies Mediterranean cuisine with dishes that people in Dallas love," Mak says. "A lot of the dishes we have on menu are Mediterranean but have American and Texan influences."

Mezze favorites include hummus topped with green shatta and extra-virgin olive oil; baba ghanoush with charred eggplant, tahini, dukka, and pomegranate; crispy cauliflower with saffron labneh; tuna neya with tahini, mixed pickles, and Aleppo pepper; and kibbeh with ground lamb, onions, pine nuts, and dill labneh.

Salads include seared tuna salad with freekeh and golden beets; Tahini Caesar with tahini–Caesar dressing and za’atar croutons; and roasted beets with burrata, oranges, and pistachios.

Entrées include roasted chicken with garlic-batata and pomegranate jus; chicken shish kebab over saffron rice with almonds and raisins; hanger steak shawarma frites — a clever twist on steak frites with hand-cut fries; ZZ’s Wagyu cheeseburger with smoked provolone and house pickles; Prime ribeye with za’atar chimichurri and heirloom carrots; and apricot lamb couscous.

The beverage program complements the menu with a Mediterranean-focused wine list and creative cocktails such as the coffee-kissed Midnight Istanbul and ZZ’s Margarita, with burnt pineapple and ras el hanout.

Designed in collaboration with Dallas-based Coeval Studios, the restaurant features a 2,130-square-foot interior with an expansive 735-square-foot patio that seats 76, for a total occupancy near 100.

The restaurant boasts an open kitchen, while decorative finishes include modern woodwork, rich textures, and Middle Eastern-inspired details — stylish yet inviting, with a setting that feels like home.

“The inspiration behind Zon Zon came from wanting to create the kind of place we’ve always wished existed — a neighborhood Mediterranean spot that feels both familiar and exciting - we wanted to create a comfortable space where guests can meet up with friends or neighbors on a regular basis,” says Yaser in a statement.

Mak went to college to sudy biomedical engineering, but says he couldn't resist the lure of the restaurant world in which he grew up.

"Zon Zon is a reflection of everything we love about food," Mak says. "What makes this especially meaningful is building it with my dad — bringing our family’s story and passion to the table."

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