The Sudra
The Sudra | |
---|---|
Restaurant information | |
Established | 2013 |
Closed | 2024 |
Owner(s) | Sanjay Chandran |
Food type |
|
City |
|
State | Oregon |
Country | United States |
The Sudra was a small chain of Indian restaurants in the Portland metropolitan area, in the U.S. state of Oregon. There were four locations, including three in Portland and another in Beaverton.[1] Sanjay Chandran operated the business from 2013 to 2024.
Description
The Sudra was a small chain of casual counter service[2] Indian restaurants that served vegan and vegetarian[3] food in Portland and Beaverton, Oregon. It was named for Shudra, one of the four varnas of the Hindu caste and social system in ancient India.[4] According to Eater Portland, food at The Sudra was also influenced by New Mexican cuisine.[5]
Menu
The menu included chickpea "cutlets",[6] korma,[7] turmeric-roasted Brussels sprouts, kale-infused dosas with black-eyed peas, and potato masala.[8][9] It also served roasted cauliflower with sweet-and-sour bell peppers,[10] channa masala, ginger-agave roasted carrots, and soy chicken drumsticks with jalapeño chutney and soy yogurt.[11] The Jackfruit Vindaloo Bowl has jackfruit, vegetables, vindaloo, and a kale salad,[2] and the peacock salad has soy curls and roasted vegetables on raw kale.[12] The Pakora Plate had pickled broccoli and cauliflower pakora, anasazi bean curry, kale with tahini, blueberry-mint chutney, cilantro-lemon sauce, radish, and brown basmati.[13]
On the drink menu, the Beet Tequila had tequila, cilantro, garam masala, beet juice, and grapefruit juice.[13] The Masala Film has mango puree with lime and ginger juice, and the mojito-like Bandit Queen has cucumber, lemon, and mint. The Sudra also served a vegan mango lassi with coconut yogurt and tamarind limeade.[14]
History
The Sudra was owned by Sanjay Chandran. The first location opened in northeast Portland 2013, in the space previously occupied by Basa Basa.[15][16][17][18]
A second followed in the Two-Thirds complex,[19] in the St. Johns neighborhood in May 2016. The location suffered a fire in June,[20] and closed permanently in June 2019.[21] Chanran opened another location on North Mississippi in July 2019.[17][22] The Fremont location moved to 28th Avenue.[23] In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the restaurant offere a holiday meal kit with soy "chicken" pakoras, cilantro herb potatoes, and Brussels sprouts.[24]
Another outpost opened in northwest Portland's Pearl District in 2021, in the space that previously housed Aviv.[25] The Pearl District location closed in 2022. The Sudra opened a location in Beaverton by 2023.[17]
The North Mississippi and Beaverton locations closed in 2023.[26] In late April 2024, Chandran announced plans to close the original location in May.[27] His bar Bar Asha began operating from the same space.[17][28][29]
Reception
Eater Portland included The Sudra in a list of the city's "essential" vegan and vegetarian restaurants.[30] Waz Wu included the business in the website's 2021 list of recommended restaurants in the city for "standout" vegan curries,[5] and Janelle Lassalle and Thom Hilton included The Sudra in a 2024 list of Portland establishments for non-alcoholic mixed drinks.[14] Ron Scott also included the restaurant in a 2024 overview of "exceptional" Indian food in the metropolitan area.[11]
The Sudra was a runner-up in the Best Indian Restaurant of Willamette Week's annual readers' poll in 2020.[31] It was also a runner-up in the same poll's Best Vegetarian/Vegan Restaurant category in 2022.[32]
See also
- List of Indian restaurants
- List of restaurant chains in the United States
- List of vegetarian restaurants
References
- ^ Russell, Michael (2024-05-01). "Portland vegan restaurant The Sudra is closing. Here's what could be coming next". The Oregonian. Archived from the original on 2024-07-25. Retrieved 2024-07-24.
- ^ a b Woo, Nick (2019-07-25). "13 Stellar Curries in Portland". Eater Portland. Archived from the original on 2020-06-03. Retrieved 2024-07-24.
- ^ "The Sudra | Restaurant Listing". Portland Monthly. Archived from the original on 2024-07-25. Retrieved 2024-07-24.
- ^ Dall'Asen, Nicola (2017-10-05). "The Sudra". Thrillist. Archived from the original on 2024-07-25. Retrieved 2024-07-24.
- ^ a b Wu, Waz (2021-02-08). "Where to Find Standout Vegan Curries in Portland". Eater Portland. Archived from the original on 2021-10-26. Retrieved 2024-07-24.
- ^ DeJesus, Erin (2013-12-05). "Updating the Eater PDX HeatMap: Where to Eat Now". Eater Portland. Archived from the original on 2024-07-25. Retrieved 2024-07-24.
- ^ DeJesus, Erin (2014-01-27). "Trifecta Tavern 'Settling In'; Earnest Cooking at the Sudra". Eater Portland. Archived from the original on 2024-07-25. Retrieved 2024-07-24.
- ^ Fodor's Inside Portland. Fodor's Travel. 2020-04-07. ISBN 978-1-64097-251-3. Archived from the original on 2024-07-25. Retrieved 2024-07-24.
- ^ Sawyer, Adam (2018-10-01). Unique Eats and Eateries of Portland, Oregon. Reedy Press LLC. ISBN 978-1-68106-186-3.
- ^ Jackson-Glidden, Brooke (2017-01-18). "Healthy Portland Restaurant Plates That Don't Feel Like a Bummer". Eater Portland. Archived from the original on 2021-11-02. Retrieved 2024-07-24.
- ^ a b Scott, Ron (2017-06-09). "Where to Find Exceptional Indian Food in Portland and the Nearby Suburbs". Eater Portland. Archived from the original on 2022-02-15. Retrieved 2024-07-24.
- ^ "Five Cheap Vegan Meals That Are Actually Good". Willamette Week. 2019-03-27. Archived from the original on 2023-01-04. Retrieved 2024-07-24.
- ^ a b "Inside Vegan Indian Eatery the Sudra". Portland Monthly. Archived from the original on 2024-07-25. Retrieved 2024-07-24.
- ^ a b Lassalle, Janelle (2018-08-03). "13 Portland Restaurants and Bars Mixing up Mocktails and Zero-Proof Drinks". Eater Portland. Archived from the original on 2024-07-25. Retrieved 2024-07-24.
- ^ DeJesus, Erin (2013-08-23). "Plywood Report". Eater Portland. Archived from the original on 2024-02-26. Retrieved 2024-07-24.
- ^ DeJesus, Erin (2013-11-20). "Inside the Sudra, Now Open in NE's Ocean Complex". Eater Portland. Archived from the original on 2023-11-29. Retrieved 2024-07-24.
- ^ a b c d Roland, Rebecca (2024-07-23). "The Former Sudra Space Has Flipped — Again". Eater Portland. Archived from the original on 2024-07-25. Retrieved 2024-07-24.
- ^ Wong, Janey (2024-05-16). "The Portland Restaurant Closings to Know, May 2024". Eater Portland. Archived from the original on 2024-05-18. Retrieved 2024-07-24.
- ^ Bamman, Mattie John (2016-10-31). "Two-Thirds Complex Takes Flight in St. Johns". Eater Portland. Archived from the original on 2023-12-04. Retrieved 2024-07-24.
- ^ Bamman, Mattie John (2016-06-30). "The Original Launches 'Secret' Food Menu". Eater Portland. Archived from the original on 2017-04-03. Retrieved 2024-07-24.
- ^ Jackson-Glidden, Brooke (2019-06-17). "Vegan Indian Mainstay The Sudra Has Said Goodbye to St. Johns". Eater Portland. Archived from the original on 2024-07-25. Retrieved 2024-07-24.
- ^ Jackson-Glidden, Brooke (2019-10-04). "Essential Vegan Restaurant the Sudra Will Take Over the Tapalaya Space". Eater Portland. Archived from the original on 2019-10-05. Retrieved 2024-07-24.
- ^ Wu, Waz (2020-03-30). "Portland Vegan and Vegetarian Restaurants Offering Delivery and Takeout During the COVID-19 Outbreak". Eater Portland. Archived from the original on 2021-08-21. Retrieved 2024-07-24.
- ^ Wu, Waz (2020-12-18). "Vegan Holiday Meals and Desserts for Takeout". Eater Portland. Archived from the original on 2020-12-31. Retrieved 2024-07-24.
- ^ Russell, Michael (2021-10-20). "The Sudra is headed to The Pearl, replacing Aviv". The Oregonian. Archived from the original on 2021-11-02. Retrieved 2024-07-24.
- ^ Wu, Waz (2023-09-18). "Beaverton's New Vegan Bar Comes from the Creators of the Sudra, the Uncanny, and Victoria". Eater Portland. Archived from the original on 2023-09-29. Retrieved 2024-07-24.
- ^ "Portland vegan Indian restaurant to close after 10 years". kgw.com. 2024-04-29. Archived from the original on 2024-07-25. Retrieved 2024-07-24.
- ^ Wong, Janey (2024-06-10). "The Sudra's Northeast Portland Restaurant Has Transformed Into Bar Asha". Eater Portland. Retrieved 2024-07-24.
- ^ Roland, Rebecca (2024-09-03). "Bar Asha Reopens With a Punchy South Asian Tapas Menu". Eater Portland. Retrieved 2024-09-03.
- ^ "Portland's Essential Vegan and Vegetarian Restaurants, Spring 2018". Eater Portland. 2016-07-20. Archived from the original on 2023-10-02. Retrieved 2024-07-24.
- ^ "FOOD, DRINK, RESTAURANTS". Willamette Week. Archived from the original on 2020-11-15. Retrieved 2024-07-24.
- ^ "Food Winners". Willamette Week. Archived from the original on 2022-07-15. Retrieved 2024-07-24.