By Lalit K JhaWashington, Dec 7 (PTI) Two young Indian-Americansinvestment bankers have quit their well-paid jobs to start afine fast casual Indian restaurant here which they aspire totake to every nook and corner of the US at an affordableprice.
RASA, founded by Rahul Vinod and Sahil Rahman, servesIndian food in the Chipotle-style manner, joining a nationalmovement of new fast-casual joints.
The name of the restaurant 'RASA' is not only acombination of the two co-founders names – Rahul and Sahil –but in Sanskrit it also translates to "essence or taste" inEnglish.
"There is this perception that Indian food is unhealthyor heavy, or filled with butter," says Sahil, 26, who foundedRasa with his childhood friend, Rahul, 27.
"We are excited to show people that is not the case. Itis very clean and healthy food. It is just in the way youprepare it.""What is awesome about Indian food and it is just sodiverse. There is such a variety in flavors. People think ohit's just spicy but there's so many delicious sweet dishes.
There's so much from the north to the south that you can pullfrom," said Rahul.
The two co-founders are sons of celebrated hospitalityveterans and longtime business partners Chef K N Vinod andSurfy Rahman.
"It has really been a part of our childhood and ourupbringing," said Sahil.
"We are going to take Indian flavors and bring that towhat is authentic to us as Indian Americans," Rahul said.
Once the two-childhood friends completed their studiesand got their jobs in New York, Rahul and Sahil said it wastime for them to work on their dream to popularise Indian foodand its benefits in an American way.
Bringing RASA to life is the realisation of a childhooddream and an amazing opportunity for us to share our cultureand cuisine with our community and city, said Sahil.
"Since we started, our vision has been to make Indiancuisine accessible, and we are excited to open diners minds tonew worlds offering unique, high-quality, and chef-drivenmeals at a USD 10 price point," said Rahul. PTI LKJ AMS AKJAMS.
This is unedited, unformatted feed from the Press Trust of India wire.