Suresh Sundas

Some Lesser Known Facts About Suresh Sundas

• Suresh Sundas began his career as a chef at Rasika West End, a well-known Indian restaurant in Washington, DC.

• He met Dante Datta there in 2012.

  

• Suresh Sundas worked with the tandoor (clay oven for Indian cooking), and Datta made drinks as a mixologist.

• After working together, Suresh Sundas and Dante Datta opened Daru near H Street NE in 2021.

• They first wanted to open a bar with snacks, but because of the pandemic, they decided to make food the main focus.

• Once, during a media conversation, Datta said that Suresh Sundas’ food was so good that it needed to stand out more. During the same conversation, Sundas said that he wanted Daru to be a welcoming place for anyone, for a quick visit, a cocktail, or a special celebration.

  

• The menu of the restaurant combines key cultural flavours, modern cooking methods, and fresh seasonal ingredients.

• His dishes reflect his Nepali background and what his single mother taught him, making them both personal and creative.

• The menu features small dishes inspired by Indian street food, such as Mango Jhalmuri (puffed rice snack with fruit and spices), Blue Cheese Chicken Kebabs with Sour Cherry Glaze, and Jackfruit Tacos served in Phulka (a type of Indian flatbread or roti).

  

  

• The Wild Mushroom Biryani and Chicken Tikka Masala are very popular main dishes at his restaurant, Daru.

• The Black Garlic Lamb Chops are the restaurant’s signature dish. Suresh Sundas marinates the lamb chops with black garlic, yoghurt, cashew paste, cumin, and coriander.

• He cooks the lamb chops in a tandoor oven to give them a smoky, charred flavour. The dish is served with mint chutney and potatoes roasted with pomegranate.

  

• Suresh Sundas uses seasonal ingredients chosen according to nature. According to him, nature inspires him to make dishes that are colourful, lively, and connected to the changing seasons.

• In 2022, their restaurant was chosen as one of the top 50 restaurants by the New York Times. The restaurant has won the Michelin Bib Gourmand award every year.

• In 2025, Suresh Sundas came into the limelight when at the 43rd annual RAMMY Awards in Washington, he won the Rising Culinary Star of the Year award, which is given to the best new chefs and restaurants in Washington, D.C.

  

• He likes travelling to distant places in his free time.