Over the years, appreciation for Indian food is slowly crawling up however not as fast as it is expected. In fact, of all ethnic cuisines, the Indian food is the most underrated according to the Washington Post report. However, with the opening of Indikitch, this may about to change.
Indikitch is a Manhattan-based Indian eatery that has the same fast-casual service model with Chipotle. Their first restaurant opened in January 2014 in Flatiron and recently expanded to a Midtown location in May.
A photo posted by Damon Loh (@darnitdamon) on Apr 2, 2015 at 6:37pm PDT
The restaurant boasts of all-natural, GMO-free ingredients, which most consumers prefer these days. A Business Insider went and tried Indikitch. Taking a clear example from Chipotle and other similar restaurants, Indikitch decor and setup is pretty much standard fast-casual fare. Their menu is posted everywhere, on flags, posters and paper. A reinforcement of the different possible choices one can make.
A photo posted by indikitch (@indikitch) on Feb 24, 2015 at 11:52am PST
Nearly half of the menu is vegetarian-friendly which appeals to many. The food is prepared as you watch with the meat and sauce of your choice. As you move down the order line, endless line of freshly made sauces and chutneys are also available. According to the report, the order process is pretty quick, lasting up to 5 minutes from start to finish. For less than $10, one can already enjoy a hefty amount of food. A little flag gives a nice finishing touch on the meals. These flags are used to differentiate the orders. You can choose from chicken, pork, fish, marinated Paneer cheese, mushrooms or spinach and cheese.
The restaurant has the potential to go global as a myriad of customers and patrons can be seen visiting the restaurant. They comprise a mix of families, tourists and New Yorkers of all ages.
According to Krishnendu Ray, a professor at New York University who has been studying the Indian cuisine’s rise for more than a decade now, there are more than 300 restaurants that serve the cuisine from across the subcontinent in New York City alone. In the early 1980s, only 20 Indian restaurants could be found in New York. For countless time, Indian cuisine has been dubbed as the next “ethnic food trend” however was never realized even until now. Indian food still remains unpopular despite being delicious. With Indikitch, this could be pave the way for Indian cuisine to be recognized as it truly deserves.
