Hartford Business Journal

www.HartfordBusiness.com August 1, 2016 • Hartford Business Journal 3 Continued To better serve our readers... We're evolving... with a REDESIGN! Stay tuned for the launch of a refreshed and reinvigorated Hartford Business Journal which will better serve our readers. Coming soon! THANK YOU! To all those who participated in our redesign survey online, and at the 2016 CT Business Expo. We truly value and appreciate your feedback! Congratulations to Paul Holzer of West Hartford! Winner of the $100 Restaurant Gift Card Drawing! Hartford Business Journal HartfordBusiness HBJ HARTFORD BUSINESS JOURNAL HBJ HARTFORD BUSINESS JOURNAL Hartford Business Journal Hartford Business Journal HARTFORD BUSINESS JOURNAL HBJ HB Hartford Business FACES OF BUSINESS Serial entrepreneur eyes next challenge in Hartford's restaurant scene By Stan Simpson T here is arguably no more desirable loca- tion in a capital city than the corner of Capitol Avenue and Main Street. Truth be told, for restaurateurs in Hart- ford, that signature site has been problemat- ic. Parking challenges, management, market- ing and neighbor-relations issues have led to a series of restaurants closing there. Daniel Navarro is next in line to give the spot a shot. He is the new owner/partner of the Sutra Fusion Bar — formerly Royal Masala, an Indian restaurant. Navarro, 35, sees possibilities where others may see prob- lems. He is of Peruvi- an and Puerto Rican descent and envi- sions Sutra offering an infusion of Latin American and Asian cuisine, while add- ing a distinctive flair downtown. An offi- cial re-launch is planned for August. "Nothing is impossible to me,'' he said, sit- ting at a back table. "I'm trying to manage my time efficiently. It's a very delicate time in the business. We want to get things started on the right foot, where we're presenting things to our expectations and standards. And that's why I have to be so hands-on. We've got to make deci- sions that will allow us to open with a bang.'' Before its grand opening, Sutra — an ancient Indian term meaning "discourse" — will likely close for a few weeks for reno- vations. A new air conditioning compressor has to be purchased and repairs made to the freezer and other equipment. Navarro moved to Connecticut in 2008. His desire to step into the restaurant business can be traced to his days in Boston, where he was born and raised by a single mother with his older brother. There, Navarro ran with a fast, and sometimes unsavory crowd while operating both a car customization business and a market- ing firm that specialized in branding campaigns and websites for restaurants and nightclubs. Navarro is a serial entrepreneur and a man with eclectic interests. A former graffiti artist, he enjoyed as a child reading Edgar Allan Poe, Charles Dickens and other liter- acy classics. With artistic peers, he traveled the world creating murals in such places as Spain, Italy, France, Peru and South America. Intrigued by how technology can intersect with the financial services industry, he has been involved in the credit card processing business. Navarro is also CEO of United Cash and Capital, an alternative business lender that serves small and medium-sized enterprises. His background in restaurant marketing, sales, building websites, financial services and the arts will, Navarro believes, bring a fresh approach to restaurant management. Of the seven employees, two are chefs. His business partner recently became ill, so in recent weeks Navarro, who is single, has found himself "micro-managing" the opera- tion, a time-consuming practice he believes will subside once things get rolling. "With my experience doing a lot of market- ing for restaurants and nightclubs, I've always liked the creative aspect of presenting drinks, food and combining that with the relationships that are built around that kind of atmosphere,'' Navarro said. "I love people. I love creativity. And I think food identifies a lot with culture and what is happening in the world. That's something I'm passionate about." Entrees, ranging from $15 and up, will include Lomo Salado (sautéed beef, onions and tomatoes), Cajun salmon, paella and French- cut chicken breast. Appetizers, $3 and up, will include Arancini — meat and cheese filled rice balls, Korean-style calamari and empanadas. Navarro's journey to entrepreneurship hasn't been easy; there have been some hard lessons that matured him. In his early 20s in Boston, while servic- ing customized-car clients and night club connections, Navarro admits that he too got caught up in the high life. There was a sense of urgency to financially help his mom, who was working multiple jobs. In 2004, at 23, Navarro was arrested and served four years in a Boston prison for drug-selling charges. "I drifted into influences that weren't posi- tive," he says now. "By losing my freedom, it Stan Simpson Daniel Navarro's Sutra Fusion Bar in Hartford will offer a mix of Latin American and Asian cuisine. P H O T O | S T E V E L A S C H E V E R

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