15 May 1 - 7, 2025 dallasobserver.com DALLAS OBSERVER Classified | MusiC | dish | Culture | unfair Park | Contents Seeking Nirvana The new restaurant from the group behind Sanjh offers a more relaxed environment, but the fare and cocktails are stunning. BY LAUREN DREWES DANIELS I f you search “Nirvana Lounge” — a new restaurant and bar in the Toyota Music Factory complex — and glance at photos and reviews, you may get the impression it’s a nightclub. And while this spot does have a regular DJ in the eve- nings and a dancefloor, you’d be remiss to skip dinner here. Mainly, it’s a restaurant. A stellar one at that. Nirvana Lounge is part of the Tivona Group, which also owns the acclaimed Sanjh. Chef Sarabjit Assi was the executive sous chef at Sanjh and is now the executive chef over both restaurants. Sanjh is a bit buttoned up with elevated Indian dishes and white tablecloths (with prices to match), while Nirvana is the wan- derlust sister with a menu that leans into Indo-Chinese street food: kathi rolls filled with alloo or paneer and Hakka noodles with a rich umami sauce. Also, it’s notably more affordable. The ambiance at Nirvana is neon on black with bold pop art. The dining room spills into the bar area, which rolls onto a dance floor. The spot, located on the second floor of the complex, has a long patio overlooking the pavilion. We visited early one evening, and the environment was like that of any other restaurant; we can’t speak about the energy later in the evenings when DJs play Bollywood tunes, as that’s far past our bedtime. Start with Something to Drink You’ll absolutely want to start with a couple of cocktails here; in fact, you could stop in just for cocktails. Brian Reinhart at D Maga- zine wrote in his review of Sanjh that the cocktails there dazzle, adding, “Judged as a cocktail bar alone, Sanjh would rank in the Dallas area’s top five, and that might be an understatement.” “Sames,” is what Nirvana would drop in the comments if it could type. Here, the bar program is led by Ajay Tomer, who is putting heart and soul, and a smidge of mad scientist, into each concoc- tion. Tomer learned to ply his trade from Yangdup Lama, who created the cocktail menu at Sanjh; Lama was named Travel and Leisure Asia’s Mixologist of the Year in 2022 and owns Sidecar in New Delhi, which is regularly on the World’s 50 Best Bars list. Before moving to the U.S., Tomer trained under Lama, focusing on local Indian spices and herbs. He worked at the Grappa Bar at the Shangri-La Hotel in New Delhi. Now he lives in Dallas, and — promise — we’re all better for it. Case in point: his take on the humble old fashioned. A sandalwood-infused mezcal and a san- dalwood syrup — both house-made — are served in small plastic vials embedded in the block of ice that somehow has two tiny holes drilled in it. Who’s drilling in ice blocks around here? Tomer, apparently. While san- dalwood is commonly used as a scent (maybe you’ve gotten a whiff walking into an upscale hotel), in this drink it imbues a woodsy, warm and slightly sweet flavor that plays perfectly with the smoky mezcal. After carefully placing the drink on the table, as if showing you one of his most prized possessions, Tomer explains that we should add just a couple of drops of each vial to the drink as a palate setter. Then add more of each flavor until you achieve your preferred balance. It works and it’s genius. The Hunan Heatwave comes in a coupe glass with a mountain of light bubbly foam over a bright green cocktail that is a mix of tequila, with a touch of brightness from lime and cilantro, with a hint of depth and heat from a tandoori-roasted pineapple and chili. This cocktail alone is worthy of putting proper pants on and leaving the house. The Monk Meditation channels espresso martini energy with Indian dark rum, espresso, cin- namon and brown butter. The menu features 10 signature cocktails, all priced at $14 ($14!). We haven’t even gotten to dinner yet ... The menu is a mix of Indo-Chinese street food. It’s tight — one long page, which we ap- preciate — with shareable entrees, noodles, soups and a few fried rice dishes. Kathi rolls are filled with aloo, paneer or chicken and have a delicate roti ($15 - $20). These warm, soft blankets make fantastic wraps, coddling creamy paneer, and if these were sold on a street near me, I’d get a park- ing ticket. Our servers loved the crispy chili pota- toes, but we opted for the crispy chili corn ($12) and weren’t disappointed. These crunchy, little golden orbs of sweetness and sunshine have a hint of punch from the green chili. They’re fun to eat. We also ordered Hakka Noodles, a thin, eggless variety with shredded vegetables. Umami from the sauce and mushrooms lends this dish depth, with a tangy and slightly sweet flavor that cuts through. The other two noodle options are a Street Side Chow Mein and a Chicken Chop Suey. These large bowls range from $17-23; our large was enough for two and we took some home. We finished dinner with two desserts, even though we didn’t have room for either. The warm date pudding à la mode ($12) was moist throughout and resembled a brownie sundae, but better. The deep caramel-like sweetness from the dates gives this dish more character than straight sugar and chocolate ever could dream of. Finally, the pineapple pastry ($12) was one of the best desserts I’ve had in a long time. A light sponge is layered with fresh cream and punctuated with a fresh, bright pineapple. Even the tall shards of dark chocolate on top worked. This is just the right amount for one. Don’t split this. I warned you. So, yes, Nirvana for the drinks, light bites, heavy fare and dessert. It will be a big night out, but it’s so worth it. Make reservations through OpenTable. Nirvana Lounge, 340 W. Las Colinas Blvd. (Irving), Tuesday - Wednesday, 4 - 10 p.m.; Thursday and Sunday 4 - 11 p.m.; Friday and Saturday 4 p.m. - 2 a.m. ▼ ROAD TRIP STEPHAN’S IN STEPHENVILLE WE TAKE A ROADTRIP TO STEPHAN PYLE’S NEW PLACE AT A BOUTIQUE MOTEL. BY DESIREE GUTIERREZ A n hour and 40 minutes southwest of Dallas is the “cowboy capital of the world,” Stephenville. The small town has some 20,000 cowboys, rodeos and a whole lot of purple, thanks to Tarleton State University. It’s the kind of place where the most happening spot in town is Fuzzy’s Ta- cos, until “the undisputed founding father of modern Texas cuisine” came to town. James Beard Award-winning chef Stephan Pyles’ The Seeker opened in Ste- phenville in late January. The Seeker is a nod to Texas diner and cafe culture, but it’s a far cry from actually being one. “I’m from Big Spring, and I was a little hesitant,” Pyles told the Observer in early April. “I wouldn’t open anything like this in Big Spring, even though it’s the same size.” The Seeker opened in conjunction with Interstate Inn, an artful luxury motel by Mod Motels. The 33-room boutique motel reimagines the former Caravan Inn, long re- membered for its slanted interstate high- way-shaped roof. Lisa Lennox of Mod Motels is behind the revitalization. She brought in Dallas-based Neal Stewart De- signs to execute the high-end motel’s retro design. For The Seeker, she persuaded Pyles to reenter the kitchen. Pyles’ stacked resume is overflowing with accolades. He’s served royalty, presi- dents, authored cookbooks and is credited with “almost single-handedly changing the cooking scene in Texas” by Bon Appetit. In early 2020, Pyles announced the closure of his last two restaurants: Flora Street Cafe and its private back dining room, Fauna. Af- ter four decades in the culinary industry, the lauded chef retired from restaurant owner- ship and operations, redirecting his atten- tion to consulting work. Throughout his career, the Nation’s Res- taurant News MenuMasters Hall of Fame inductee had his hands in 25 restaurants, 17 of which were his own, across six cities. The Seeker is now his 26th restaurant in a sev- enth city. As many others do, we recently found ourselves in Stephenville. We were there to visit Tarleton State University. In 2025, the university received a record-breaking 21,000 applications, up from just 6,000 to 7,000 a few years prior. In other words, many more people will find themselves fre- quenting the agricultural and professional rodeo destination. The Seeker invited us to stop by after our visit to the university. Located on the corner of East South Loop and East Road, The Seeker’s signage points you to the modern Texas cuisine restaurant. The 2,500-square-foot restaurant is meticu- lously designed from floor to ceiling with terrazzo floors, a hammered copper and walnut island bar and hanging rose-like light pendants whimsically floating overhead. Settle into the custom-tooled leather booths with terracotta-colored bouclé. The rest- rooms are not to be missed. The hallway fea- tures an abstract wallpaper mural that leads to The Cork Room, a private Champagne- inspired event space. Sips began with Texas’ Dublin Bottling Works pure cane craft sodas ($5). The Seek- er’s queso fundido with chorizo ($12) ar- rived bubbling in a small cast-iron skillet, thick and creamy, with chips and house- made tortillas on the side. Pyles grinds corn to make the nixtamal base for The Seeker’s tortillas. The fresh maize is prominent in the aroma and density of the tortillas. A round of cocktails called for a Wood- ford Rye spiced fig Manhattan ($14) and a citrusy The White Cadillac ($14), made with El Jimador tequila, Cointreau, lemon | CITY OF ATE | ▼ Dish Lauren Drewes Daniels Nirvana’s old fashioned comes with vials so imbibers can adjust the flavor. >> p16
