Surf Hound, the latest concept from the deliciously creative mind of restaurateur Abhishek “Abhi” Sainju, evokes the flavors and vibes at his favorite beaches along the Gulf of Mexico and the Gulf of Thailand.

Located downstairs from Abhi Eatery and Bar, his flagship in Mountain Brook Village, Surf Hound’s menu features creative burgers, half-shell oysters, a fried grouper sandwich, tuna poke salad, and the house specialty, Crab Fried Rice.

With a third restaurant, Maro, within walking distance of the others, the Nepal-born, self-trained chef whom everyone calls Abhi is arguably the restaurant king of Mountain Brook Village.

The family-oriented fare and casual atmosphere at Surf Hound, which opened in September, fills a niche in the booming over-the-mountain community. And by bringing people to the building’s prominently located but long-vacant street-level space, it’s creating synergy with its sibling upstairs.

Patrons are stopping in for an appetizer at Surf Hound and then heading to Abhi for sushi or momos, the Nepalese dumplings with pleated domed tops, which Abhi introduced to the Birmingham area.

“Word is getting out,” he says. “People are liking the food. But the main thing is the atmosphere, the environment. Now we have lights top and bottom and the whole place is vibrant.”

During the decade-plus since he burst into Birmingham’s restaurant scene, Abhi has specialized in presenting dishes from throughout Asia and the Indian subcontinent.

At Surf Hound, he presents classic American fare—but Abhi-fies it. The Spicy Hound burger is made with two patties of marinated wagyu beef, red and caramelized onions, and gochujang, a spicy-sweet Korean condiment. Wagyu is the American-raised version of super-premium Japanese Kobe beef.

The menu is designed to appeal to all ages and tastes. There’s beachy fare like Shrimp Cocktail, shucked-to-order oysters, and raw tuna poke. Shareable starters include Surf Hound Nachos, poutine-like Barrel Fries, and the Village Quesadilla with optional add-on meats or mushrooms.

The Hound Dog all-beef frankfurter can be turned into a Bad Dog with the optional addition of house chili. Burgers are made with bison, turkey, or wagyu beef, all marinated in a salty-sweet brine.

Surf Hound’s chicken wings and tenders are also soaked in the brine. The latter is dipped in a batter made with flour, starch, and soda water, and seasoned with cumin, coriander, and chile pepper. When fried, the tender is shatteringly crisp outside, moist inside, and flavorful throughout. The kitchen makes the wing sauces, including traditional Buffalo and Thai-style lemongrass.

Crab Fried Rice starts with steamed Jasmine rice with shrimp and crab meat that are stir-fried with an egg, and seasoned with soy and oyster sauces, black pepper, and Thai basil. It’s topped, Thai-style, with a poached egg. The optional extra-spicy sauce is made from smoked sun-dried chiles.

“I eat the fried rice every day,” Abhi says. “It’s one of my favorites on the menu. Everybody loves it.”

Signature libations include mixed, frozen, and wine-based cocktails, as well as mocktails, wines, and beer.

Abhi first built a fan base through pop-ups with Everest Sushi, which he started in 2013. He helped launch the restaurant Bamboo on 2^nd two years later, leaving to open his original Abhi at Birmingham’s Summit shopping center in 2017. The Mountain Brook location followed in 2019. The place at the Summit has since closed, as well as a stand at the Pizitz Food Hall, mo:mo.

Mountain Brook regulations limit Abhi and Surf Hound to dinner service. Maro, opened in 2023, is open for both lunch and dinner.

Maro’s menu features poke, steamed bao buns, and pan-Asian dishes like Korean bulgogi, Malaysian Penang curry, and Lao-Thai khao soi curry. Momos also play a starring role on Maro’s menu.

Abhi’s menu is built around sushi, skewers of grilled meat, Asian-style salads, and entrees like Nepalese lamb curry, stewed beef rendang from Bali, and several variations on Penang curries.

Never one to stand still, the restaurateur plans to open an Abhi location in Cahaba Heights and is eyeing Highway 30A, the popular vacation spot in the Florida panhandle. He also wants to open a Thai restaurant in downtown Birmingham.

More imminent is an updated menu at Abhi. “It’s going to have all the greatest hits but half of the menu will be totally different, things I’ve been wanting to have,” he says. “The menu is ready; all I have to do is cook it.”

Abhi has built a binding level of trust with local diners who gleefully join him on culinary journeys through Nepal, Japan, Thailand, Bali, and beyond.

“I’m blessed,” he says. “People believe in what I’m doing. I must be doing something right.”