The space formerly known as Wok ‘N Roll — a funky sushi and Asian-fusion bar decked out with rock music memorabilia — now has new owners. One of them, Sarit Kommineni, says the spot has been renamed Vinsar’s Lounge to fuse his name and his partner Vinod Gutha’s. The duo has begun transforming the 4,500-square-foot venue into something new.
“It’s going to feel like a five-star airport lounge,” Kommineni says. “You can walk in with your friends and have a good time. It’s going to retain its experience offering, but the decor will change.”
That means the signed guitars, vintage photos and Wok ‘N Roll signage will all be replaced.
“We brought in interior designers,” Kommineni says, though he declined to share the final look, wanting to keep it a surprise.
What won’t be a surprise are the new flavors hitting the menu.
Currently, much of the Wok N' Roll decor remains. But the new owners have big plans in the works.
Mike Madriaga
“Fried rice in a typical Chinese restaurant is usually heavy on soy sauce and packed with ingredients,” Kommineni explains. “On the Indian side, it has almost zero soy sauce.”
Their version includes broccoli, carrots, peas, green scallions and proteins such as pork belly, beef, tofu, shrimp or a mix.
“It can be the same chicken fried rice, but with the two flavors,” he adds. “We’re trying to bring something in between.”
Another standout is their reimagined Chicken 65.
“But we’re bringing the reverse fusion of it," he says. "We’re adding some Chinese flavors."
Kommineni and Gutha lived in India before relocating to metro Phoenix and the duo come from a shared lineage of hospitality.
“Back home, we come from a family of hoteliers and restaurateurs,” Kommineni says. “This is our first venture into the industry in the U.S., but back in India, my family launched some of the first five-star hotels.”
To honor their roots, the lounge will host Indian DJ Nights featuring Desi beats, Bollywood and Tollywood anthems. Desi beats are South Asian-inspired dance tracks often blended with EDM, hip-hop, or traditional Indian rhythms, while Bollywood and Tollywood anthems are high-energy songs from India’s Hindi and Telugu film industries.
On the food menu, fan favorites include the yellowtail nigiri and the Madonna roll. The roll named after the pop queen is a $16 roll packed with spicy crab, cream cheese and avocado, then topped with salmon and spicy aioli.
Another crowd-pleaser is the rainbow roll, layered with tuna, yellowtail, salmon, and shrimp, shaped into a perfect cylinder and served on a red guitar-shaped platter. It's garnished with daikon radish, Brussels sprouts, ginger, wasabi and an edible orchid for that extra visual flair.
The Pad Thai hits the spot. Its flat, chewy noodles are doused in a salty, sweet and sour sauce, layered with shrimp, scallions, peanuts, sprouts, cilantro and lime. At $14, it’s a generous, shareable portion.
“And we're also trying to stay with some of the chefs' expertise,” Kommineni says. “The chefs are popular for some of the dishes they do very well, and we don't want to cut into that and take that away.”
The new owners kept on many of the former Wok ‘N Roll employees. In addition to honoring their kitchen’s strong points, the team is building a new rhythm for the concept outside of the menu.
“We have a network of bands, solo artists and DJs,” Kommineni explains. “What we're promoting is a theme every day of the week. Tuesdays will be karaoke nights, Vinyl Wednesdays, Thursdays we have trivia and Friday is solo or live band night.”
Sundays will feature a Brunch & Bubbly event with bottomless mimosas from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Coming from the tech industry, the partners also see the lounge doubling as a space for business meetups. They’re planning to partition areas for small brunch meetings, presentations and networking mixers.
Vinsar’s appetizer menu doubles down on its Asian-fusion identity while keeping things affordable, perfect for an after-work snack. Small bites like pork egg rolls and vegetable spring rolls are $5, and six-piece crab puffs are $8. Apple potstickers ($10) offer a sweet-savory twist, and for something heartier, the $12 chicken wings come tossed in either Buffalo or teriyaki sauce. The chicken lettuce wraps and tuna or salmon poke bowls round out the list and pair perfectly with one of the lounge’s ornate signature cocktails.
Whether you’re sipping something smooth, dancing to a Desi banger, or diving into spicy crab rolls Vinsar’s aims to hit all the right notes.
"We have a little bit of everything," Kommineni says. "We are not a 'go here to have this kind of food' place, we're like 'go here to have a good time with your family and friends' place — that is the spirit behind Vinsar's Lounge."
