New restaurants open every week in Dallas, some from local operators and others from out-of-towners. But one local group is often in the mix. Vandelay Hospitality, the team behind Hudson House, keeps expanding its culinary footprint throughout the city.
Its latest opening is Le Bistrot Bar Sardine, a Parisian-style restaurant that opened December 20 in Snider Plaza, a popular retail strip packed with restaurants and shops in Dallas’ Park Cities neighborhood.
Bar Sardine is led by École Ducasse-trained executive chef Elliot Azoulay, who relocated from Paris specifically for this role. Before moving to Dallas, he worked at iconic Paris restaurants like La Fontaine de Mars and Le Petit Lutetia, and did a stint at three-star Michelin restaurant Le Petit Nice in Marseille, France. He was recruited by Vandelay founder Hunter Pond.
Chef Elliot Azoulay moved from Paris to Dallas to helm the restaurant. Photo credit: Kayla Enright
The restaurant looks the part of a French bistro. It’s an intimate space, with a small bar, burgundy leather banquettes, and a handful of white linen-topped tables.
The tightly curated menu features escargots, salmon tartare, onion soup gratinée, a honey truffle brie baguette, and frites with a trio of aïoli dipping sauces. Larger plates include a fish of the day, steak Diane, chicken paillard, and a burger that’s topped with white cheddar cheese, barbecue mayonnaise, onion, pickles, and potato crisps served on a smashed-flat bun.
“I want our guests to feel like they’re in Paris for an hour and a half, two hours, when they come to Bar Sardine,” said Azoulay. “My dishes celebrate the simplicity and elegance of French cuisine, where each ingredient is meant to shine.”
The menu features bistro classics like escargots, salmon tartare, chicken paillard, and this cheeseburger. Photo credit: Kayla Enright
Those dishes are joined by a French wine list featuring glasses and bottles for budget-conscious diners as well as those looking to burn through an expense account. The bar is also pouring cocktails like a Chocolate Negroni and a Caviar Martini, which combines vodka with toasted rye, white pepper, bitters, and osetra caviar.
Bar Sardine sits a couple of doors down from Jack and Harry’s, a Vandelay concept that’s styled after a New Orleans chophouse. The group is currently working on a Mexican restaurant called El Molino that’s expected to open across from Bar Sardine later this year. It has two more restaurants — Slider and Blues and DL Mack’s — located a couple blocks south of the plaza.
The original East Hampton Sandwich Co., also located in Snider Plaza, was the group’s first restaurant, but the brand was recently sold and is no longer under the Vandelay umbrella.
“The concepts we have developed in Snider Plaza are carefully crafted to complement, rather than compete with, one another,” Pond said. “Each restaurant offers a distinct culinary experience, designed to cater to a wide variety of tastes and occasions. By curating concepts with unique atmospheres, menus, and identities, I aim to ensure that my establishments appeal to different customer segments.”
The bar is pouring French wines and cocktails. Photo credit: Kayla Enright
Pond explained that one concept might provide an intimate, upscale setting for a romantic night out, while another offers a more family-friendly environment. That reduces the chance of one restaurant in the group cannibalizing another.
“Some focus on niche culinary experiences, like classic French dishes or Southern-inspired cuisine, while others cater to broader American palates,” he said. “This intentional diversity allows my restaurants to coexist harmoniously, creating a dynamic ecosystem of dining options.”
Pond said that his approach prioritizes variety and specialization, which creates an environment where guests can have different experiences in the same neighborhood.
“Ultimately, I believe these concepts enhance the overall appeal of Snider Plaza as a destination, offering something for everyone while creating synergy among my restaurants.”
