The Pan-Asian restaurant opens Tuesday at 33 W. Columbia St. on a pedestrian-only entertainment and retail gateway that runs between the Fox and the Fillmore theaters in The District Detroit.
The Detroit opening was pushed back a couple of times after a planned spring 2025 opening. Dec said that was strategic to align hiring and training with seasonal timing. The Detroit location will have about 100 employees.
A different vibe
It’s the fifth location for the chain, which opened its first restaurant in 2009 in Chicago. There are two Sunda New Asian restaurants in Chicago, and one each in Tampa, Fla., and Nashville. The chain is operated by Chicago-based Rockit Ranch Productions, which also counts two nightclubs under its umbrella.
Dec calls the 200-seat Detroit location different from all of the others, which sit in what he calls a trifecta of dense residential, commercial and tourism traffic. The District Detroit, developed by the Ilitch family-owned Olympia Development, sees heavy traffic on event days, with its proximity to the theaters, Little Caesars Arena, Comerica Park and Ford Field. Sunda will be neighbors with Frita Batidos, JoJo’s ShakeBar, Sahara Restaurant and Grill, Union Assembly and Mom’s Spaghetti as well as retailers Pingree and Detroit Vs Everybody.
Dec said the Detroit restaurant may lack the daily foot traffic that the company's other markets have, but he believes the venture will be successful.
“In our other cities, you can walk out and bump into people,” Dec said. “Here, sometimes it’s quiet, and then all of a sudden it’s packed because there are 1,000 events a year around here. We’re not used to that.”
Dec makes regular television appearances to talk about food and entertainment. His acting credits include "Criminal Minds" on CBS and "Empire" on FOX. He also hosts “The Meal of Your Life!” podcast. His documentary, “Food Roots,” is scheduled to be released this spring. It takes a look at Dec’s Filipino roots. Dec calls his lola, grandmother in Filipino, an inspiration and the best cook he’s ever known. Many of the dishes at Sunda New Asian are inspired by Dec’s lola.
“She never wrote a recipe down,” he said. “You had to be present. That was part of being family. In Filipino culture, we don’t rely just on flavor profiles or design. We’re all in on caring for people and creating an emotional connection.”
Diverse options
Dec believes guests will like what Sunda has to offer.
The menu inspiration comes from Southeast Asian countries including Japan, China, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam. Sunda New Asian will offer sushi, nigiri and sashimi, along with noodle and rice dishes like pad thai. The restaurant will also serve items like a Korean fried chicken and adobo pork belly bao buns, a wagyu tomahawk steak and Szechuan chicken. The menu also includes a Kamayan feast for four, which features a variety of Filipino dishes such as adobo pork belly and lumpia egg rolls. The drink menu features several housemade cocktails, like an ube espresso martini inspired by the purple Filipino root vegetable, in a nod to Dec’s Filipino heritage.
“We want to take our guests on a journey,” Dec said. “It’s interesting, sometimes you think people are going to come in and just order what they might know, but a lot of people are more adventurous than you think. We want to give people options. We want people to share because that’s what families do at home. If you’re at a four-top (table) and someone doesn’t want sushi, someone wants steak, someone wants noodles — everyone can have their thing.”
The decor inside the restaurant is a big part of the journey Dec hopes to take guests on.
Detroit's Sunda New Asian is dimly lit and features decor from various South Asian countries. Lighting installations include handmade floral elements inspired by sampaguitas, the national flower of the Philippines, alongside cherry and apple blossoms symbolizing Japan and Michigan.
The space includes a long rectangular bar that runs from one end of the restaurant to the other. In warmer months, retractable windows will open, giving some guests a chance to walk up off the street and order a drink. The restaurant includes two dining rooms, including one with seating at a raw bar that’s just off the main bar area. A larger dining room is at the rear of the restaurant. That space can be separated into two with a partition, giving guests the option to host private events, Dec said.
Sold on Detroit
Dec declined to provide a specific dollar figure for the Detroit location build-out but said the investment is the same if not more than other Sunda New Asian openings. Chicago-based Studio K designed the Detroit restaurant, leaning heavily into the brand’s cultural storytelling, Dec said.
Dec’s relationship with Detroit is an interesting one. Growing up in Chicago in the 1990s, Dec understood the rivalries between teams like the Detroit Pistons and Chicago Bulls, but he admits he didn’t know much about the city itself. His view has been influenced by Detroit and Michigan transplants to Chicago, including some who became investors in his business and encouraged him to take a look at the market. Dec began touring possible sites in the city four years ago and support from Olympia Development helped seal the deal.
“I walked the city and thought, ‘Detroit needs a publicist. This is a great place',” Dec said. “(Olympia Development) was proactive. They were collaborative. With how tough the business is right now, having a developer and landlord who want to elevate the neighborhood and bring someone in as a partner — that matters.”
Sunda New Asian Vice President of Operations Kai Contractor said the Detroit opening has a more distinct feel from others because of how the community has responded.
“... people from different walks of life coming together and creating something beautiful is common in openings,” Contractor said. “But in Detroit, the love and welcome we’ve felt from different parts of the community has been very encouraging. It makes (Dec) and I very giddy.”
Dec said he’s just as excited about opening the Detroit restaurant as he was his first. Detroit represents more than a new revenue stream; it’s a chance to participate in what Dec views as a pivotal chapter in the city’s evolution.
“I feel like I’ve lived through impactful energy before,” Dec said. “I see something happening here. It’s deeper. It’s hardcore. It’s not normal.”