For its third location in Vancouver, Indian restaurant Sula embraces its heritage while leaning into all things bold, bright and modern.
Opened in late February, Sula’s new outpost is located just steps from beautiful English Bay at 1708 Davie St in the West End.
The new Sula location joins its well-established and popular siblings on Commercial Drive and Main Street in East Vancouver.
Led by Executive Chef Balvant “Bal” Ajagaonkar, Sula Davie Street’s menu features a range of traditional dishes as well as a new selection of street food-inspired dishes, with exciting flavors and visually striking presentation.
Menu at Sula, a mix of modern and traditional Indian cuisine
A dish like Raj Kachori is a feast for the eyes. A crispy sphere is filled with a cold filling of potatoes and chickpeas in a vibrant mint tamarind chutney, drizzled with cardamom yogurt. The mix of crunchy, mild, sour and sweet is a wonderful way to kick off a feast, with each spoonful tantalizing the taste buds.
The entrances, stylized after cat (snacks), are fun and engaging, like the buttery rolls stuffed with spicy ground lamb and a little cheese (Sound camera) or the plump, juicy marinated shrimp with mint sauce and coleslaw (Aagri Zinga). Plant-based diners will enjoy the Kerala-style “Jackfruit Fry,” which are thick pieces of meat substitute tossed in a hearty sauce; the bites are extremely satisfying.
At the bar, a fun set of contemporary sips includes a refreshing option like the Tamarind Margarita – one of Sula’s most popular drinks, and rightly so – with smoky mezcal, tangy tamarind and a rim of cricket salt . The cocktails were created by award-winning Vancouver bartender Jeff Savage.
For those who don’t drink it, mango lassi is sweet, tangy and creamy and will wow you with the spice and heat in any dish.
Sula’s more traditional dishes fill the rest of the menu, from tandoori selections to curries and stews that are best enjoyed with shreds of seed-studded roti or garlic naan. THE Nihari Lamb shank is fork tender, while the Kairy Shrimp are succulent, bathed in a punchy sauce made from mango and coconut.
Paneer is a great meatless option for a curry, and it works wonderfully in Makhani. It’s essentially the same sauce more commonly known as “butter chicken” – it’s a creamy tomato sauce – which, when ordered mild, turns out to be more sweet than spicy (and yes, you can get the same sauce). Makhani with chicken, aka chicken).
The desserts at the new Sula realize the restaurant’s vision: to offer a contemporary, elegant and inspiring Indian culinary experience. THE Parsi brings a cake is a tea cake infused with reduced milk, which here takes on a bright green hue and an earthy pistachio flavor. Just like a tres leches cake, the crumb is soft and moist. Sula serves it swimming in a pool of pistachio milk with gentle swirls of Jalebi.
The third Sula site is not a simple copy of its predecessors
For its new restaurant, the Sula team still proudly displays its elephant motif, but the design is resolutely contemporary and luxurious. The tables feature the trendy feature of a wireless touch lamp with three light level settings.
In the works for over a year, the Sula team has taken over the space that was previously Keshari (and Pacifico Pizza, then Relish, before that). The interiors were designed by Vancouver-based architect David Wong, principal of WHG Designs.
Sula started on Commercial Drive in 2010 and, in late 2020, revealed that its second location was headed to the vacated Reef Restaurant space on Main Street.
The new Davie Street branch of Indian restaurant Sula will offer lunch and dinner service daily, from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Video: Discover Indian restaurant Sula’s new West End location
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