A very happy (slightly belated) Mother’s Day to all the wonderful, loving mothers out there. I hope you were able to celebrate the day in a way that felt special and meaningful.
Sutra is one of the newest Indian restaurants in the Dallas area, owned by Indian-born chef Vijay Sadhu, who has steadily built a reputation for thoughtful, modern Indian cuisine. I’ll say this upfront: while Chef Sadhu happens to be a good friend of ours and someone whose restaurant ventures we’ve followed since he moved to Dallas a few years ago, this review comes without bias. Simply put, he continues to excel.
We’ve visited Sutra about three times as a family since it opened in February, and I’ve also stopped by a couple of times for lunch during workdays. That alone says a lot. There is a noticeable shortage of consistently good Indian restaurants in Dallas and Plano, particularly in the area where Sutra is located, and this one truly feels like it’s here to stay.
For Mother’s Day, we decided to head to Sutra for their first-ever Mother’s Day lunch and brunch. It was a lovely occasion for Nikhil, who had the chance to celebrate with two generations of family. Dad and Nikhil planned the outing and treated my mom and me to lunch, which made the day even more special.
Sutra’s décor is minimalist yet modern, featuring an open kitchen where you can watch tandoor breads and kebabs being prepared. Instead of the usual sitar or Bollywood background music, the restaurant leans toward a more techno-inspired sound, which feels fitting for its location at The Shops at Legacy. An impressive bar greets you at the entrance, offering cocktails with creative names such as Bollywood Martini, Sutra, Jaipur, and Tamarind Margarita.
The Mother’s Day lunch menu was a three-course meal with champagne, priced at $15.95—a very reasonable price point considering the quality and variety offered. The meal included an appetizer, salad, entrée, and dessert.
We started with Cauliflower Kathmandu, an appetizer that has already become a staple at Sutra. This was my third time ordering this cauliflower Manchurian-inspired dish, sautéed with Asian-influenced spices. The spice level was spot on for us, and unsurprisingly, Chef Sadhu knows our fondness for heat.
Next came the salad: mixed greens with mango kachumber and a cardamom vinaigrette. While the dressing itself was subtle, the combination of raw and ripe mango added an interesting contrast and depth of flavor.
At this point, we were already nodding in approval, and the entrées hadn’t even arrived. The lunch menu offered three vegetarian entrée choices that day: Lauki Lazeez, baby eggplant in gravy, and Malai Kofta. Since there were five of us, we ordered all three.
Nikhil, being his usual opinionated self, requested Dal Makhni instead. I reminded him to stick to the menu, but to both our surprise, Chef Sadhu suggested preparing a sampler of the dal just for him. While I half-joked that he was spoiling my son, it was genuinely impressive service. I should add that this isn’t to suggest special requests are the norm, but rather to highlight the level of attentiveness and care we experienced.
We had previously tried the Hyderabadi eggplant and Malai Kofta, both of which were excellent, but the real standouts this time were the Lauki Lazeez and the dal. Flavorful and authentic are the two words that best describe the meal up to this point. I even mentioned to Chef Sadhu that I planned to return specifically for the dal once it became a regular menu item.
Dessert was the final course, with two choices available: kulfi with mango sauce and falooda noodles, or a bread pudding. I opted for the bread pudding, and it turned out to be one of the best decisions of the day. This dessert, inspired by double ka meetha, featured a saffron cream sauce and a caramelized sugar topping. In my opinion, it ranks among the best Indian desserts I’ve had in a long time. Chef Sadhu personally garnished it, and I made sure to capture the moment.
Overall, it was a thoroughly satisfying Mother’s Day lunch and a wonderful way to celebrate the occasion. Sutra delivered on food, service, and ambiance, and it’s a restaurant we’ll definitely continue to return to.
