Tastemaker Final Four

Final 4 best new restaurants in Dallas face off in Tastemaker tournament

For our first-ever CultureMap Dallas Tastemaker Awards, we are celebrating the talent in the local food and drink community. Our editors selected the nominees, and a panel of experts chose winners in nine categories — which will be revealed at our big event on May 6.

But for the Best New Restaurant, you get get to decide who will take home the prize by voting in our tournament.

We started with 16 nominees. Winners of those matchups moved on to the next round. From those elite eight, we are now down to the final four.

Cast your vote now, then join us on May 6, where you can continue to vote for your favorite new restaurant through a social sharing contest from our friends at Smilebooth. The champion will be declared during the event, along with the rest of the Tastemaker Award winners.

In the meantime, read all about the final four competitors:

Barter
Brothers Patrick and Michael Halbert tapped chef Tim Love for menu consultation and direction for their new concept in the Private Social space. With chef Andrew Dilda behind the wheel, Barter skews younger than its predecessor with an emphasis on snacks; pick-up items like tacos; and a fun, kitschy, tiki-themed Sunday brunch.

CBD Provisions
Located at The Joule hotel, CBD Provisions is an American brasserie developed and operated by Consilient Restaurants serving American comfort food with an artisanal sensibility. Menu items range from coddled eggs with house-baked bacon bread for breakfast to seasonal salads for lunch to pan-fried organic chicken for dinner. CBD is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner every day of the week. It serves Sunday brunch and a complete menu until midnight on the weekends.

Chino Chinatown
Trinity Groves restaurant fuses Chinese and Latin cuisines. Owners Adrian Verdin and Uno Immanivong were inspired by "barrio Chinos," which translates to "Chinatown" in Latin American cities. Their menu includes lamb tacos, sea bass with a Thai chili glaze, and a banh mi sandwich with steak. For dessert, there's a pina colada upside down cake and a Mexican chocolate cake with coconut ice cream and mole ganache.

CrushCraft
Bright, colorful and fun, CrushCraft serves spicy Thai "street food" from drunken noodles to the comforting curry noodle dish called khao soi. The level of execution is high, reflecting the four-star experience of chef Paul Singhapong, who has worked at the French Room, Beau Nash, Melrose Hotel and Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek. CrushCraft might be the perfect restaurant: It stays open late, and prices are incredibly low.

---

Come celebrate the Tastemakers with us on Tuesday, May 6, at Seven for Parties in the Dallas Design District. To learn more about the event, including information about our beneficiaries, judges, participating restaurants and ticket sales, visit our Tastemakers website.

CBD Provisions

Photo courtesy of CBD Provisions

CBD Provisions

unspecified

Putting into Plano

New Plano restaurant Sip'Stroke tees up golf with chef-driven fare

Saffron salmon skewers, one of the featured seafood offerings on Chef Madan Oli’s menu at Sip’Stroke.

Photo courtesy of Sip'Stroke.

undefined

It's tee time for a new restaurant featuring a private Full Swing golf simulator and an indoor putt-putt course in Plano: Called Sip’Stroke, the new "eatertainment" spot is opening Saturday, August 1 at 5969 Dallas Pkwy.

The concept comes from Kushal Raj Bastakoti, a cityscape artist and interior designer from Nepal who moved to Dallas in 2013 to attend the University of North Texas. Bastakoti also owns Skyline Lounge in downtown Dallas, which opened earlier this year, and is a franchisee of the Asian beverage and dessert chain Feng Cha Café.

He says he chose the location due to the rapid growth of businesses and residences in the nearby Legacy area.

“At Sip’Stroke we created a space that is entirely unique — it feels like you're on a 9-hole golf course, but paired with exceptional dining,” he says.

Although built around golf, the restaurant is also chef-driven. Bastakoti recruited chef Madan Oli, who launched his culinary career in Copenhagen, where he developed a focus on high-quality ingredients, thoughtful preparation, and presentation.

“My goal is to bring people together through modern American cuisine with bold flavors and global inspiration,” says Oli. “Every dish is crafted with care, balance, and a true passion for hospitality.”

$Sip\u2019Stroke$ At Sip’Stroke, you can catch the game, play a round of putt-putt, and enjoy a high-end meal.Photo courtesy of Sip'Stroke.

Oli designed a menu featuring shared boards, fresh seafood, premium steaks, elevated bar staples, and desserts. Highlights include prime ribeye frites, saffron salmon, maple leaf duck breast, Cabernet-braised short ribs, Wagyu sliders, and a selection of tacos and wings, with prices ranging from $20 to $35.

The full bar serves classic and signature cocktails, along with shots, wine, beer, and zero-proof drinks.

The venue includes a private golf simulator that accommodates up to eight guests, a custom nine-hole mini-golf course integrated into the dining room, seating for 60 indoors, and an additional 15 seats on the patio.

While Sip’Stroke has been operating with limited hours during a soft opening over the past several days, regular business hours begin Saturday, August 1, from 12 noon to 12 midnight daily. A grand opening celebration is planned for late August.

A second Sip’Stroke location is also in the works next to Skyline Lounge at 2012 Commerce St. in downtown Dallas and is expected to open before the end of the year. The owners say restoring the historic 100-year-old building has taken longer than anticipated.

eatertainment golf plano