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earthquake wrote:Since then I've switched over to an Indian restaraunt, mainly because the Nepalese restaurant started watering down their keema curry, and I noticed my gums began to bleed.
earthquake wrote:I used to eat at a Nepali restaurant around the way , until I found out the restaurant had cock roaches...the owner had become quite skilled at flinging his towel and killing them, even if they were crawling on his window he would snap his towel and zap they would be "finished" as he put it. He even had skills at stomping them on the floor or easing up to smash with his shoe as he took an order. BUT they learned to survive in his restaurant's toilet.
He aslo had problems with the keystones checking him, walking around- especially at Miyogadani station. Once someone broke his window, and he told me his intuition told him it was some nearby competitor.
Since then I've switched over to an Indian restaraunt, mainly because the Nepalese restaurant started watering down their keema curry, and I noticed my gums began to bleed. The Indian restaurant was cool at first until items on the menu would become unavailable on different days. I'll call the indian guy the cook--"coathanger man." The reason why I call him that is because he told me that the keystones check him practically every night when he goes home...they love to hang him up from his destination, with questions like "where are yopu going?, can I see your passport, where do you live etc. I told him to check out= http://www.debito.org/, but then he told me in so many words that he will just stay in his own little world. But what's ironic he and his Japanese co owner a JN woman get into it every other day. She told me they conflict much when she is on her period.--but she told me she loves him, even though he is married and devoted to his Indian wife and extended family in India back home.
One time the JN woman told he waved his cooking knife at her because she bought the wrong food supplies. She then called her mammy...whoa..The nepalese said dont go back there cause the may "really get into it...sheesh...
BTW I noticed I feel better by not eating their food too...
I noticed since the "conflict" the Chinese restaurant near me isn't so busy these days, as well as the Chinese massage place around the corner....just sayin
Thank goodness for this site...
earthquake wrote:I used to eat at a Nepali restaurant around the way , until I found out the restaurant had cock roaches...
Coligny wrote:The thread where everybody explode with his own inside demons...
earthquake wrote:I used to eat at a Nepali restaurant around the way , until I found out the restaurant had cock roaches...the owner had become quite skilled at flinging his towel and killing them, even if they were crawling on his window he would snap his towel and zap they would be "finished" as he put it. He even had skills at stomping them on the floor or easing up to smash with his shoe as he took an order. BUT they learned to survive in his restaurant's toilet.
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Since then I've switched over to an Indian restaraunt, mainly because the Nepalese restaurant started watering down their keema curry, and I noticed my gums began to bleed.
Most people are busy enough just doing one job. But Indian entrepreneur Anil Raj has three jobs – IT for a foreign bank, operator of three Indian restaurants and international kindergarten founder.
Japan Today catches up with Raj to see how he manages it all.
When did you first come to Japan?
I first came to Japan in 1998 to work for Fusion Systems. After a while there, I moved to banks where I have been doing finance IT ever since. I always had an ambition to start my own business, but never thought it would be a restaurant. My initial plan was to start an IT firm, but that would have been a conflict of interest with my job at the investment bank. With the restaurant business, there was no conflict of interest, so it was not an issue.
What are your restaurants called?
Two restaurants are called “Nirvanam”—one in Kamiyacho and the other in Toranomon. A third one is called Ruchi. It’s in Daimon.
Why did you decide to open a restaurant?
In 2005, there was a shortage of authentic South Indian food. Nobody served it here in Tokyo. I wanted to fill that vacuum, so I opened the first Nirvana in Kamiyacho in 2005. It was tough for the first two years because I had to work and also manage the restaurant. The second one opened at Toranomon in 2012.
How would you describe the image of Indian food in Japan?
A lot of Japanese are India-savvy these days and realize there is a difference between food from different regions in India. In general, when Japanese think of Indian cuisine, they tend to think of nan, tandoori chicken and butter chicken. It’s interesting because tandoori chicken is a restaurant food, not a home food. The perspective is slowly changing where people are looking at other dishes like dosa, biriyani, etc.
What’s the difference between South and North Indian cuisine?
A lot of coconuts are used in South Indian food but not in North Indian. For a sour taste, North Indian cuisine uses tomatoes whereas in South Indian dishes, they use tamarind in addition to tomatoes. In South Indian cuisine, you have plenty of rice-based items like dosa and idli, whereas in North Indian you have more wheat-based items like chapathi, nan, etc
How do you market the restaurants?
We didn’t do any advertising when we started. I preferred to start slowly and do a good job. Even now, whenever I open a new restaurant, I get my circle of friends and bring them in for a party. They are my support/feedback structure and they get the word out.
Where do you get your chefs?
I bring my chefs from India. If I hire them here, most are serving Japanized versions of Indian cuisine and that wouldn’t be authentic South Indian. We don’t change the menu to Japanize Indian food. That’s one difference between us and other Indian restaurants. We serve authentic Indian food.
What are your expansion plans?
I would like to have 6-7 restaurants by 2020, mainly in Tokyo and maybe Yokohama but not beyond that. It’s important to find the right location. We’re looking near train stations or near high-rise buildings because the lunchtime business is very important.
How do you manage your time?
I reach the bank by around 8:30 a.m. By 6:30 p.m. or 7 p.m., I am done. Initially, I used to go to the restaurants every day but not now because I have the structure in place. Since I have lot on my plate these days, I rely on my key people to maintain the quality. I also randomly visit time-to-time to check on the quality.
Why don’t you devote all your time to the restaurant business?
Because I like being in the finance IT industry. I don’t want to lose touch with IT, which I would if I became a full-time restaurant operator.
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Russell wrote: ..............that wouldn’t be authentic South Indian. We don’t change the menu to Japanize Indian food. That’s one difference between us and other Indian restaurants. We serve authentic Indian food.
kurogane wrote:Russell wrote: ..............that wouldn’t be authentic South Indian. We don’t change the menu to Japanize Indian food. That’s one difference between us and other Indian restaurants. We serve authentic Indian food.
Phrases like that usually ring alarm bells, and I know 3 Mexican places in Kyoto that died that death of a thousand non-returning customers, but he has been in business since 2005 so he must have figured out a way to buck the house odds. Either that or he's playing to the expat press. Either way, good for him.
I have a hankering for some Real Indian, so when I get back up that way I think I will try one of them out. Thanks for that Russell, good pull.
Anybody know if they serve Naan in South Indian cuisine? Being slightly wheat sensitive, I do like my Naan with my ice cold Bud.
Russell wrote:Links to two of his restaurants are here. They actually look quite promising. Anyone any experiences there?
Japanese short grain sticky rice
kurogane wrote:Complete with Paella or Indian rice dishes made with Japanese short grain sticky rice
kurogane wrote:For some reason I preferred LA diner/cafe Mexican to Phoenix fancy Mexican, but I do remember a lovely little hole in Nogales that was absolutely to meurte for, with the rumpy older wife in the hair bun making delicioso yumyums. It was like a Mexican border country cafe right out of a Tommy Lee Jones or Chris Cooper movie. Maybe I'll spend this winter down there eating beans and tacos.........hmmmmmmmmmmmmm BTW, Idaho, eastern Washington and the Bellingham area have some smashing family run Mexican joints; I could never quite figure it out until my dad pointed it out: they came to pick the fruit and they stayed.
Takechanpoo wrote:Japanese short grain sticky rice
you even dont know チャーハン.
Samurai_Jerk wrote:Takechanpoo wrote:Japanese short grain sticky rice
you even dont know チャーハン.
You've obviously never had good chaofan if you think the Japanese version is the best there is. Let me guess, you prefer Japanese rice over jasmine with your Thai food.
kurogane wrote:I actually prefer most Japanese Chinese dishes to the original versions, except for that syrupy abomination they call Sweet and Sour Pork. Vancouver White People Chinese is good because they clean it up and use meat and veggies, but Chinese Chinese food looks like salvaged garbage on a plate, at least in the newer Chinatowns in the Vancouver area. Let's face it, for most North Americans feets and innards are dog food.
kurogane wrote:Funny, in Vancouver Taiwanese is very gloopy and eggy. A lot like Japanese Chinese. BTW, I don't mean Japanese Chinese dishes like Chow Mein or S&S Pork or whatever. I just meant the fully Japanified ones like Ramen and Cha-han. Chinese ramen makes feet meat look almost attractive. I find their entire food aesthetic to be utterly revolting; just because blind, starving beggars whose tastebuds have been removed might eat something doesn't mean the rest of should want to; thank god White People Chinese is such good business.
Samurai_Jerk wrote:That's why Taiwan is good. You get all the real Chinese spices and flavors with (near) first-world hygiene and presentation.
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