I caught up with a very busy Stephan “With An A” Pyles who is working on the details for Samar by Stephan Pyles, his new international small plates restaurant scheduled to open in late summer. “I guess I can tell you I’ve picked Vijay Sadhu as our executive chef,” said Pyles.
How good is that? Sadhu is the chef who made Clay Pit in Addison sing with wonderful Indian fusion and gave us another reason to drive to Richardson to eat when he cheffed at Bukhara Grille. This is good news. “We’ll be doing Middle Eastern, Lebanese, Turkish, Moroccan, Spanish, and South American small plates,” said Pyles. “The space (at 2100 Ross @ San Jacinto) will have incredible views and a patio with a hookah lounge.” Pyles is also doing a TV show on Channel 21 and writing a book.
Fun Samar Stuff:
*Samar means “late night conversation,” often with the implications that it is softly spoken and between two lovers. (“Would you like Samar wine, my love?”)
* The 2,800 square foot restaurant will feature an open kitchen, with seating directly at the counter, and a Tandoori oven. (Sadhu is a Tandoori Master.)
* Menu portion sizes will be larger than tapas but smaller than appetizers to allow more fully developed flavors in each dish. (Tappetizers?)
* The dining room will seat approximately 60 diners inside with an additional 35 on the terrace. (That makes 95.)
* The check average per person will be $25 – $30, inclusive of beverage. (What if I drink water?)
