LUXX The Restaurant ‘a dream come true’ in Sterling

A young entrepreneur who grew up in a family of restaurateurs knew he wanted to make his own distinctive mark by creating a fine-dining experience in his hometown of Sterling. The result is LUXX The Restaurant, launched in late April at 4001 E. Lincolnway.

The owner, Ollomon “Sonny” Dalipi, 25, calls LUXX “a dream come true.”

He completely transformed what was office space into an elegant dining destination. To create the look, he said they built new walls and added pillars and arches, importing marble and granite from Italy.

The menu features seafood, specially sourced steaks and Italian classics. He had help in selecting dishes for LUXX from his father, who early in his career cooked in a noted Chicago destination known for Italian food.

“My father and Executive Chef Danny created the entire menu,” Dalipi said. “They worked diligently for six months to create a perfect menu.”

LUXX offers salmon, shrimp, calamari, scallops, lobster tails and lobster risotto, with Dalipi noting the seafood is fresh, never frozen.

“Our beef comes from a local farm in Hampshire – certified Black Angus,” he said. “It’s packaged at the farm. … The filet mignons and cuts of beef … are exceptional.”

Dalipi said they worked “very hard to have out-of-this-world service” as part of the ambiance, and it’s been drawing compliments.

One of the dessert options is tiramisu.

“My mother makes the tiramisu … homemade every morning,” Dalipi said.

Recalling “humbling beginnings” in the business world, he said it was four years ago that he and his brother, Albert, with $80 to their name, went door to door with a bucket of soapy water and towels, pitching their window cleaning services. Their efforts bloomed into Sonny’s Professional Cleaning.

The family name is tied in the region to multiple restaurants that are operated by his parents and other relatives.

“I grew up washing dishes,” Dalipi said. “The thing is – my forte was always finer dining. My parents owned family-style restaurants, never something I wanted to replicate. I wanted to take what my family did and take it a step further.”

When he was a child, he recollects that local residents didn’t have many options for fine dining and would have to travel a long way. It inspired his dream to create something special to dress up for right in Sterling, adding there’s “so much to love here.”

LUXX The Restaurant wouldn’t be possible without the wonderful community supporting the venture, he said, expressing gratitude for the warm reception he and his team have received.

”I’ve done my best to keep my prices at a fair point,” he said.

Excited to see LUXX launch, Dalipi said, “I’m so inspired by my father, Michael; my brother, Albert; James Mertes, a dear friend [who’s] an attorney in Sterling and owns the building … how thankful I am to my lady Minka for supporting me when I had nothing.”

Entertainment is planned on various dates in The Piano Room, a space off the dining room with a baby grand piano.

“I really want to bring back the classical elegance of restaurants back in the day [offering] live music,” he said.

The Piano Room also can be curtained off for private events.

“We plan on adding a beautiful outdoor dining setting – LUXX By The Garden,” Dalipi said.

He describes it as a private garden with inviting outdoor seating, and anticipates it will open in about two months.

Along with the garden will come daily lunch service.

Dalipi said reservations are not required, but are gently encouraged for weekends. The restaurant opens at 4 p.m. every day of the week except Tuesdays, when it’s closed. LUXX operates until 9 p.m. weekdays and Sundays, and 10 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. To learn more, call 779-297-7020 or visit www.facebook.com/Luxxrestaurant.