Sutra in Plano closed, will become Pepper Smash, A Cocktail Kitchen

by Teresa Gubbins

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Cocktails are a better fit than modern Indian for Shops at Legacy crowd.

PLANO — Sutra, the modern Indian restaurant opened in Plano's Shops at Legacy by chef Vijay Sadhu, has closed and will be replaced by a new concept called Pepper Smash, A Cocktail Kitchen.

Sadhu is partnered up with Al Bhakta, owner of the Genghis Grill chain.

"We are trying to change the place because of the demographics and what people are looking for in that area," Sadhu said. "Al was a customer, and we decided, 'Let's do it.'"

Pepper Smash, A Cocktail Kitchen is a reflection of Bhakta fondness for mixologist-style cocktails. They'll make them from scratch using fresh vegetables and fruits.

"In Dallas, you have Victor Tango's and Bolsa, and we felt like that kind of cocktail lounge was lacking in the Shops at Legacy," Sadhu said.

Victor Tango's is clearly a strong inspiration. The restaurant is named after a Victor Tango's Pepper Smash cocktail, created by Portland, Oregon mixologist Ryan Magarian, who devised it at the request of owner Tristan Simon.

"The use of the drink for their name, I'm totally in the flattered camp," Magarian said, who has already created a "Pepper Smash No. 2" for Oven and Shaker, his new restaurant in Portland.

Sadhu and Bhakta have targeted April as a re-opening date, and are in the process of remodeling the interior, giving it an upgrade with custom-designed bar counters and something that's almost essential to the Shops: a patio.

"Patios are a big thing at the Shops," Sadhu said.

He describes the menu as "New American with a Mediterranean flair," with foodie-familiar dishes such as pork belly, short ribs, and pork tenderloin. For now, he won't be doing the modern Indian food for which he's known.

"I'm a little sad that people didn't get what I was doing here, but down the road, I'm going to open a good Indian place in Texas -- it's my roots," he said.

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