The Villa & Harlequin restaurants merged creating The Villa Harlequin. The merger allows The Villa and Harlequin legacies to continue in a viable and sustainable way. The Harlequin, owned by Lake Charles Mayor Nic Hunter and his family before him, has been in the Lake Area since 1956. The original Italian Villa, located on Ryan Street, was opened by Mike Sperandeo’s father, Marco Sperandeo, in 1986 and was at that location for 18 years. The new Villa opened at its location on Pujo St. in downtown Lake Charles in January 2017. Now, The Villa Harlequin is located at the downtown location in the historic Noble Building lovingly restored by Donna Richard. The new menu will be a combination of The Villa and Harlequin signature dishes. There will be a bit more emphasis on steaks and chops. The Harlequin Crab Remick, Crab Royale, Creole Tomato Bisque w/Basil & Lump Crab, the Wedge Salad and The Harlequin House-made salad dressings are some of the additions to the menu.