Sunda
33 W. Columbia St, Detroit
Detroit
April 2, 2026
“Sunda” refers to the southern islands and continental shelf of Southeast Asia. It is also the name of one of Detroit’s newest restaurants, which prides itself on “elevated” Southeast Asian fare. The Detroit location opened last month on the pedestrianized Columbia Street in the city’s District Detroit sports/entertainment area and is the chain’s fifth location in the United States.
My dad and I decided to check it out ahead of seeing a performance of “The Music Man” at the nearby Fox Theatre. We enjoyed a meal that spanned significantly further than Southeast Asia. The extensive menu also includes options from Japan and China, including sushi and dim sum.
The restaurant’s vibe is sleek and modern, with décor inspired by Asian motifs set among dim lighting. Water lillies and capiz shells hung from the ceilings. Bamboo shoots and photos of Asian countries covered the walls. Japanese-style ikebana flower arrangements were placed throughout. The scent of jasmine filled the air, which I thought was a nice touch.
The menu is largely made up of small plates meant to be shared. I don’t eat fish, so that removed a significant amount of the sushi and whole fish dishes, though plenty of options remained. We opted for the tiger shrimp tempura, oxtail potstickers and the yuzu ribeye steak, which were more than enough to feed two people.
The protein in all the dishes was well-prepared, but the stars were the sauces, which were all slightly sweet and mild. Served with candied walnuts and frisée greens, the shrimp tempura featured a creamy honey aioli, with a light flavor and texture that paired nicely with the shrimp.
The oxtail potstickers were served with caramelized onion jus and a white wasabi cream, which was surprisingly mild and didn’t overpower the taste of the dish. The oxtail filling was rich, with a strong meat flavor. I don’t personally enjoy a strong taste of meat, but it’s a great option for those who do.
My favorite was the grilled yuzu ribeye steak, served medium rare on rice with a truffle butter, herb oil sauce. The truffle surprisingly didn’t overwhelm the dish, and the sauce was rich but not overly so, which I appreciated.
I find Detroit’s trendy Asian or Asian fusion restaurants overrated. They tend to cram in too many flavors at once with dishes that taste good at first and then leave me with both an unpleasant aftertaste and bloating hours after I’ve left the restaurant. That was not the case with Sundra. The dishes were flavorful without being overwhelming or lingering. My sensitive stomach had no problems that night.
We ended with Japanese mochi ice cream– essentially balls of ice cream wrapped in a pounded dough made from steamed rice – which was another of my favorite dishes. That day’s flavors were strawberry, passionfruit, mango and cake batter, which were a light, sweet ending to our meal. The cake batter was my favorite and tasted like it was wrapped in raw sugar cookie dough – always a good thing. It was perhaps not a traditional Japanese flavor, but this American girl had no complaints.
Our server Jordan was attentive and friendly, with a thorough knowledge of the menu and great recommendations.
Detroit has a lot of options for those looking to eat before or after a ballgame or a show. Sunda is a welcome addition to the mix for those looking for a classier, higher-end dining experience where quality food and atmosphere are center stage. It is casual enough, however, that blue jeans were common, and our crowd had a mix of people planning to attend nearby ballgames, theaters and concerts. Great entertainment is best served with great food, and Sunda is a wonderful option for those looking to elevate an evening downtown or as a sole destination in and of itself.
