BBQ News

Chefs Aaron Franklin and Tyson Cole to open restaurant in East Dallas

Aaron Franklin and Tyson Cole at Loro in Austin.

Photo by Logan Crable

Two of Austin's biggest-name chefs are bringing their superstar collaboration to Dallas.

Chefs Aaron Franklin and Tyson Cole will open a second location of Loro, the Asian Smokehouse and Bar, in Old East Dallas at 1812 N. Haskell Ave., at the corner of Munger Avenue.

According to a release, the restaurant will open in late summer 2020.

Loro is an Asian smokehouse and bar that Cole and Franklin debuted in Austin in 2018. The menu features grilled and smoked meats, sides, craft beer, and batch cocktails.

The Austin location has an indoor-outdoor personality, where you can order food at the bar and sit inside or outside on a porch that's shaded by a canopy of hundred-year-old oak trees.

It's said to be casual, affordable, quick, and good.

Loro is part of Hai Hospitality, the restaurant group that owns Uchi and Uchiba in Dallas, plus locations in Austin, Houston, and Denver. So for Tyson, Dallas is old hat. But Loro will be Franklin's first venture outside of his acclaimed Franklin Barbecue in Austin.

Like the original Loro, Loro Dallas will feature a variety of dishes created by Cole and Franklin that balance Southeast Asian flavors with traditional Texas barbecue.

"Collaborating with Aaron on Loro has been such a great experience, and the reception to the food, drinks, and atmosphere has been stellar," says Cole in a statement. "We hope Dallas will dig the complex flavor combination of Southeast Asian food with the richness of smoked meat just as much as they do in Austin."

Franklin notes in a statement that "Dallas has such a diverse food scene. I'm excited to have Loro be a part of it!"

That strip of Haskell Avenue is still somewhat sleepy but is in the early stages of gentrification; E Bar Tex Mex, the restaurant from Eddie Cervantes, opened a block away in 2012. The building where Loro is going was previously occupied by a tax and accounting firm, and is next to a sweet patch of green.

Loro Dallas will be designed by Austin-based firm Michael Hsu Office of Architecture. The release says that, like the original Loro, the Dallas location will recall the historic dance halls of the Texas Hill Country, with expansive dining space inside, as well as outdoor deck and patio seating.

barbecue

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