Glitter News

Miami supper club will sprinkle its glitz in Dallas at Victory Park hotel

There'll be girls like this doing toasts all the time.

Photo courtesy of Villa Azur

A super-glitzy concept from Miami is headed to Dallas: Villa Azur, a Mediterranean restaurant from Azur Hospitality, an international group with big plans for restaurants, hotels, and nightclubs around the world, will open its second location at the W Hotel in Dallas.

A spokeswoman from Azur confirmed that the restaurant would be located on the ground floor of the Victory Park hotel, in the space previously occupied by Cook Hall, which closed in the spring due to the pandemic. Construction on the new eatery will begin in late 2020, with an opening set for mid-2021.

Villa Azur is part of an overall refresh of the W by Bill Hutchinson and Dunhill Partners, who acquired the hotel with HN Capital Partners in October 2019. Their plans include a renovation of the W's guestrooms and lobby, and the introduction of new food and beverage operators.

For the restaurant, they've partnered with Villa Azur owners Jean Philippe and Michael Martin, who recently came to town to complete design issues with Azur's designer Jose Jafif.

Dunhill also owns the Virgin Dallas Hotel.

Villa Azur debuted in Miami's South Beach in 2012, helping to usher in the supper club concept, delivering an over-the-top experience combining restaurant, lounge, eclectic entertainment, performers, and themed decor, which has surfaced at places like The Clover Club in Dallas.

Their goal is to recreate the atmosphere of La Côte d’Azur in the French Riviera. Their South Beach location has white walls, high ceilings, bronze crown moldings, and a library with plush leather sofas, bookshelves, and Old World sconces. A verdant outdoor courtyard features seating beneath a white linen canopy.

The menu goes over-the-top as well with pasta dishes such as Les Pâtes à la Meule – linguine in a Parmigiano cheese wheel flambéed with pricey Louis XIII cognac. There are oysters, caviar, Maine lobster, truffle ravioli, Iberico pork tenderloin, and prime porterhouse.

At their anniversary party in March, celebrating 8 years on South Beach, live entertainment included DJs, greeters, a saxophonist, aerialists, stilt walkers, and dancers.

This marks the second flashy Miami arrival in Dallas, following Komodo, the celebrity hotspot from David Grutman that's opening in the Epic office tower, the 16-story building under construction at the intersection of Good Latimer and Pacific Avenue.

Villa Azur cofounder Jean Philippe Bernard previously worked for Nikki Beach Group's St. Tropez, St. Barth, and Miami destinations. He's known for making people feel at home and for drawing celebrities such as Paris Hilton, Beyonce, Leonardo Di Caprio, Johnny Halliday, Enrique Iglesias, Gerard Butler, and more.

He savvily helped increase Villa Azur's visibility by holding pop-ups at events such as the Toronto International Film Festival.

Azur Hospitality's portfolio so far includes Brassierie des Arts in Brazil and in Saint-Tropez, plus five concepts in France including Cafe Madeleine, Cafe de Paris, The Strand, Le Bistrot a la Truffe, all in Saint-Tropez, and Muse in Ramatuelle, France. Many more are "in the works." Big plans.

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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.

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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.

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