Sanjh Restaurant & Bar
Restaurant · Irving
5250 N O'Connor Blvd Suite 146, Irving, TX 75039
Highlights
Modern Indian fine dining with innovative cocktails & exceptional service
Modern Indian fine dining with innovative cocktails & exceptional service
"Marketed as the only fine-dining Indian restaurant in the Metroplex, the restaurant sits in a waterfront dining room in Las Colinas and offers a classic Indian menu of curries and freshly made breads served in an upscale style; it has made the Eater Dallas 38 and attracted praise from local figures such as Stephan Pyles, who called his dining experience there one of his most remarkable of 2024. Chef Sarabjit Singh Assi describes his path here: "The story starts in 2018, when one of the owners visited the ITC Hotel [in India], where I was working as the chef in charge. He promised me that when he opened an Indian restaurant in Dallas, I would be his first choice as chef. In 2023, I got that opportunity. We created a menu that isn’t too modern and instead focused on the authenticity of the food. Before opening, I did research and development for the menu with the 14 chefs who work at Sanjh — I am blessed to have 14 chefs from India. Our pastry chef Rajat Sachdeva is crucial for us." He says the team visited the top U.S. restaurants before launch but ultimately decided, "we need to stick to what we were doing in India. So we stick to the basics. People love curries here, that I know [laughs]." On butter chicken he notes it’s intentionally different from other versions: "it’s different — it’s coarse and not sweet, like we used to make at Daryaganj in Delhi, which is called the place where butter chicken was invented." On fine dining and service philosophy he emphasizes storytelling and authenticity: "Being an Indian fine dining restaurant doesn’t mean putting the dishes on a fancy plate, or anything like that. We need to create an experience. The dishes coming to your table need to have a story behind them and be a reflection of the chef who created them. The perception of Indian food is that it is spicy. Spicy does not mean hot; it means flavorful. It means that the experience for the guest includes telling them what we are serving, what state the dishes are coming from, how they are made, and who made them." The menu reflects regional outreach and ingredient care: a kori gassi served with dosa (made with buckwheat rather than rice flour so "It’s very light, not heavy like naan"), where "we sear the chicken thigh and make a blend of spices. We use stone flour and black peppers of different varieties... So we got a full container of spices from South India, and that is what we still use. After we put the spice blend on the chicken, we finish with coconut milk to bind it together." He stresses sourcing: "The chicken we’re using in the restaurant, and in the kori gassi, is free-range. I am careful about selecting the ingredients. Our fish is wild caught. The ingredients are what tell the story of the dishes." On diners’ reactions and menu highlights he says, "When they say it reminds them of their mom or a home cooking thing, I feel proud...Being part of a Punjabi family — Punjabis start at breakfast when they talk about lunch, and at lunch they talk about dinner. Then at dinner they talk about what they want for breakfast. Punjabis are very particular about their food. Now, my mom is a little proud of me and thinks I’m cooking the right way." He points guests to house-made items and particular plates: "We make our own paneer, and I tell people they won’t find a paneer like this. I am confident that what we are making is a work of art. Nothing can match it. We have bharwan paneer tikka that is in a different class. Our lamb chops, too, need to be tried. People tell us they’re just like they had in India. We also offer a full chaat menu, which is particular for Delhi people. Chaat means “to lick,” and it gives you a start and a craving to have more. I try to keep five per menu, and innovate. I am working on adding a kulle ki chaat, which is fruit-based and a very different thing." - Courtney E. Smith
"A meal full of standout plates under executive chef Sarabjit Singh Assi where it’s nearly impossible to pick a single favorite. The dahi puri arrives as puffed rice spheres filled with a thin, tangy yogurt foam and surrounded by seasonal berries and honey, making it feel almost like a dessert appetizer. Equally addictive are the truffle and blue cheese stuffed kulcha—simple but dangerous: flatbread filled with blue cheese and truffles—and the kori gassi with kal dosa, a South Indian preparation that rarely appears on American menus and is well worth ordering." - Courtney E. Smith
"There are two ways to do Sanjh. Go for dinner, and you’ll get an upscale experience complete with white tablecloths and suit-clad servers. Start with delicate spheres of dahi puri filled with tangy yogurt foam and topped with tart, crunchy pomegranate seeds, then move to tender goat kebabs cooked in tandoor ovens until they’re glowing orbs of spice and char. A side of creamy black dal should be mandatory here—the chef brought the recipe straight from a New Delhi restaurant, so you either eat it here or book a flight to India. In scenario two, go for the casual $50 all-you-can-eat Sunday brunch buffet to sample much of the same menu but for less money than usual." - rosin saez, nick rallo, kevin gray, kevin gray, kevin gray, rosin saez, nick rallo, nick rallo, rosin saez, rosin saez, nick rallo, rosin saez, nick rallo, nick rallo, rosin saez, nick rallo, rosin saez, rosin saez, nick rallo, rosin saez, rosin saez, nick rallo, nick rallo, rosin saez, nick rallo, rosin saez, nick rallo
"There are two ways to do Sanjh. Go for dinner, and you’ll get an upscale experience complete with white tablecloths and suit-clad servers. Start with delicate spheres of dahi puri filled with tangy yogurt foam and topped with tart, crunchy pomegranate seeds, then move to tender goat kebabs cooked in tandoor ovens until they’re glowing orbs of spice and char. A side of creamy black dal should be mandatory here—the chef brought the recipe straight from a New Delhi restaurant, so you either eat it here or book a flight to India. In scenario two, go for the casual $50 all-you-can-eat Sunday brunch buffet to sample much of the same menu but for less money than usual." - Kevin Gray
"Indian food gets the full fine dining treatment in the ‘burbs at this spot that local legend chef Stephan Pyles says is his favorite restaurant. The menu gets inventive with plating and flavor approaches: Think tandoori Cornish hen instead of tandoori chicken, and a mango prawn curry made with three jumbo tiger prawns, artfully served on their own. Sunday brunch service has a similarly expansive menu to pair with its stellar slate of alcoholic beverages and mocktails. Vibe check: Don’t expect stuffy fine dining here; the sound system is bumping and the lighting is club-like, though it’s not a clubstaurant. It’s just a vibrant hang." - Courtney E. Smith
