BY VEENA RAO

The owners have obviously cut no corners. Apart from having the distinction of being the only Indian restaurant franchise, with seven franchises around the US, Inchin’s Bamboo Garden and Tadka restaurants also arguably have the most elegant interiors. From the relaxed, lounge style seating encircling a round bar at Tadka, the oriental wall murals and fine object d art from China at the Bamboo Garden, to the two-story tall doors that separate the halls at the fabulous banquet facility - the décor is contemporary and spells up market chic. 

Even the antique cycle rickshaw at the entrance- a relic from Kolkata, the home of Chinese India cuisine- is a trademark of all Inchin restaurants. The interiors for all seven franchises were done by trend setting Mumbai based architect and interior designer Ajit Shilpi, whose keen eye for detail and unique combination of materials manifest in the aesthetic appeal of the restaurants.

It is not all about ambiance though. The food scores equally high on the taste and quality meter.

Tadka has a great range of authentic north Indian dishes. There are starters and soups, succulent tandoor specialties and a great range of curries, rice dishes and breads to choose from. Their tandoori champ- char grilled spring lamb chops, and sikandari raan- boneless leg of spring lamb braised in a marinade of black cumin and finished in a tandoor- are to die for, according to partner Kaushik Patel. And so are the rogan josh, another specialty of the house, and the rumali roti, which few restaurants in the region offer. “Our dal tadka is slow cooked for 16 hours, and is one of our signature dishes,” adds Patel. 

There is an entire section for vegetarians- from samosas, pakoras and tikkis to tandoori aloo gobhi and paneer tikka to a range of curries like the ever-popular palak paneer and malai kofta. There is enough on the menu to suit every discerning palate.

Bamboo Garden serves Indo-Chinese cuisine, and the menu is even more exhaustive. There are 15 vegetarian and non-vegetarian soups and close to 30 appetizers to choose from! The main course is varied, with chicken, seafood, vegetarian, paneer/tofu, beef and lamb sections jostling for attention. 

“Bamboo Garden offers the best, most authentic Indo-Chinese fare in Atlanta,” says partner Amitabh Agrawal. “Chinese cuisine is the most popular food in the world. Every country has modified Chinese cooking to suit its palate, and so has India.”

The Indo-Chinese style of cooking is said to have been developed by the small Chinese community that has lived in Kolkata for over a century. Over time, this distinct style of cooking spread to other metros and smaller cities. Today Indian Chinese is an integral part of Indian cuisine.

Bamboo Garden first opened doors in Duluth six years ago, after Agrawal saw the potential in this niche restaurant market. “The response was tremendous,” he says. “Because there was no other restaurant offering what we offered.”

Soon, they moved to the larger Alpharetta location, which also houses the twin restaurant Tadka. The partners then saw the potential for an even larger market and decided to franchise the restaurants in other cities. 

“We spent a lot of time and money perfecting and standardizing the system,” says Agrawal. “Today, every Inchin’s restaurant has a standard décor and menu. The food at each one of our restaurants tastes the same. That’s because our corporate chef Bijesh Sur travels to each location, and provides hands on training to the local chefs, who are also our employees. We also take care of everything else- from the décor, to finding the right location and vendors to the final opening of the restaurant. There is great safety in our model.”

The twin restaurants in Alpharetta now have over 5000 patrons each week. Patel and Agrawal attribute their success to great customer relations, elegant ambiance and authentic food. It is probably also their drive and passion for excellence. 

Buoyed by their success, the Inchin partners will shortly launch packaged food in the Atlanta market. The initial run will include noodles, rice and a variety of table sauces.

Patel and Agrawal are also excited about their new lounge that is set to open shortly next to their Alpharetta location. “Shlok Lounge is a perfect refuge for intimate socializing,” says the lounge website. “Whether you are stopping by for an after work drink, entertaining clients or hosting a private party, Shlok Lounge is the ideal spot. Stay late and dance to our resident DJ's every night.”

True to habit, the Inchin partners have hit on another burgeoning market!