US Restaurant Concept

[tryska]

I got this thought yesterday as I drove back 10 miles from one of my favorite Indian restaurants. I had gotten carry-out and they gave it to me in one of those chinese food containers.

I live in an area that could be considered yuppie - lots of single people and apartment complexes, and definitely open to eating Indian.

If the menu were in the style of a Chinese food menu do you think it would be difficult to translate - i think eventually, like chinese is not true chinese, it would somewhat mongrelize, but good quality shouldn't be that hard to turn out.

a basic menu would be similar to chinese, appetizers, soups, entrees, both veg and non veg, breads, biryanis, and desserts.

I don't know if the UK has restaurants like this, but there is nothing like that as far as I know in the US.

[herbacidal]

the basic menu idea is done by a place in downtown philly called minar palace.

as i recall, their menu is divided into sections as you indicate.

don't know that they deliver.

it's good quality, very cheap Indian food.

[tryska]

yeah the basic menu is pretty much done at most of the indian restaurants here too....it's just no one delivers. i'm not sure why...i don't see what stops them.

so why not create a restaurant where dining in is downplayed, but delivery is the thrust of it, you know?

or better yet, both a thriving dine-in plus a strong delivery. reminds me of the best-quality chinese in my area .

[tryska]

i've still been thinking about this idea....what would translate well to cooking and transporting? obviously not dosas...what about papads?

how do restaurants make large amounts of curries?

does one make everyhting beforehand and set it to simmer?

i guess these are questions for a restauranteur, if anyone is willing to let me pick their brain.

[tryska]

*sigh*

does no one have any input for me?

is this a really bad idea?

this is one of the first places I posted this thread, to see what type of reception the idea would get, or perhaps learn from other people's experiences with the notion. i can't really think of anyone else who would know about this stuff, in the real world or on the web. normally threads in this forum get a lot of input, but y'all are curiously silent here. why is that?

[mongo_jones]

tryska, i don't know where you're located but in los angeles every indian restaurant delivers and almost all their menus are divided the way chinese take-out menus are. of course, these are all cookie-cutter north-indian restaurants. biryani and butter chicken survives delivery much better than, as someone else pointed out, dosas or iddlies would.

i'm surprised to hear that there are cities in the u.s with large numbers of indian restaurants that don't deliver. perhaps this is in areas with high(er) indian populations? indians (generalizing wildly here) may prefer to eat in than do delivery or take-out--since restaurant eating is more of an indulgence than a convenience thing for most middle-class indians.

[tryska]

i had no idea they delivered in LA, Mongo - i' have never seen it anywhere on the east coast. which is strange. There may be places in NYC, but i didn't know about any when i lived there.

thanks for your input tho, i'm glad to see that it is viable.

those restaurants that deliver - are they dine-in restuarants first, and delivery and takeout second, or similar to the chinese takeout stands?

[BBhasin]

yeah the basic menu is pretty much done at most of the indian restaurants here too....it's just no one delivers.  i'm not sure why...i don't see what stops them.

so why not create a restaurant where dining in is downplayed, but delivery is the thrust of it, you know?

or better yet, both a thriving dine-in plus a strong delivery.  reminds me of the best-quality chinese in my area .

I guess it depends on a lot of factors tryska. Mainly you identify a need and try to fill it for a profit.

We are a neighborhood Indian restaurant, do a fairly decent bussiness which is based on dine-in, takeout and delivery. Delivery is through a delivery service called Takeout Taxi. Takeout Taxi charges a customer five bucks for delivery, expects the customer to tip the driver and also takes about 45 minutes to an hour . They charge us 30% for delivering from our restaurant. It is expensive for us but we do it becauce some people are just not in the mood for pickup after a long day. If the volume justified it, we would put in a delivery person ourselves and save the 30% but the delivery volume is not high enough.

Most people call in for takeout and come and collect it as its cheaper and takes less time.

I am sure some enterprising person will start what you are thing soon.

I hope I answered your question to somesatisfaction tryska.

[tryska]

thanks BBhasin!

takeout taxi used to do that down here too, but it does wind up being very expensive, for everyone but takeout taxi it seems.

do you not have a busboy you could spare for deliveries when the need arises, or does it just get too busy?

[BBhasin]

how do restaurants make large amounts of curries?

does one make everyhting beforehand and set it to simmer?

i guess these are questions for a restauranteur, if anyone is willing to let me pick their brain.

It is almost impossible to cook curries ( with the deep flavors we are used to) on short order.They are mostly stews and stews will take time. No way can a restaurant do a rogan josh or a vindaloo from in the 10 to 15 minutes after you have ordered it. Most restaurants prepare basic chicken and lamb curries and ' doctor them' to give you what you have ordered. The curries are usually kept refrigerated. Keeping it on a simmer will overcook them. Unless its going to be all consumed in a fairly short period of time.

[Pan]

Madras Cafe delivers.

[tryska]

where is madras cafe?

bb - thank you so much for your info. you said that basic curries are made and then doctored....how does that happen? is it just onions, ginger garlic, and spices? if so how does this work, since spice mixtures at least in my experience are different for each dish?

[Gifted Gourmet]

where is madras cafe?

http://www.madrascafe.com/directions.htm

How about that?

It is even in the metroAtlanta area which is good for you, no?

Actually since the person who said Madras Cafe lives in NYC, I rather imagine his info was local to him ... sorry .. no buffet takeaway here, tryska ....

Edited September 30, 2003 by Gifted Gourmet (log)

[tryska]

awwww, gifted.....it's a place after my own heart tho. might have to make that trip to clairmont and briarcliff! *lol*

my queendom for naan and dal makhani delivered to my house!

i sincerely hope there are several locals reading my thread and thinking of ways they can start delivering. if not i may be forced to engage in a new business venture. *lol*

Edited September 30, 2003 by tryska (log)

[Suvir Saran]

if not i may be forced to engage in a new business venture. *lol*

Thats an idea....

[tryska]

it is, but i have no idea how to even begin from a financial perspective.

is that something you can take a small business loan out for?

[Suvir Saran]

it is, but i have no idea how to even begin from a financial perspective.

is that something you can take a small business loan out for?

Not sure myself... Sorry!

[tryska]

*lol*

if i win the lottery tomorrow, i will open an indian restaurant that delivers.

[BBhasin]

bb - thank you so much for your info.  you said that basic curries are made and then doctored....how does that happen? is it just onions, ginger garlic, and spices? if so how does this work, since spice mixtures at least in my experience are different for each dish?

two examples

a basic curry( chicken or lamb) is prepared where everything is kept low key.

to make a vindaloo the restaurant will add

vinegar, garam masalla, cayenne and diced potatoes that have been boiled and deep fried but not colored.

simmer

to make a korma add

pinch of garam masalla

nutmeg/mace/caradamon powder

coconut milk powder or shredded coconot

some cream

and cashewnut paste

simmer till the sauce thickens

sounds easy but it does take a bit of experience to get it right and be consistent

[Pan]

where is madras cafe?

2 Av. between 4th and 5th, Manhattan, NY

[tryska]

ahh..pan that only helps me when i am in new york.

bb - that is fascinating. i can definitely see the challenge in making things consistent. thank you so much, i have been wondering for a while how indian food gets cooked in restaurants.

[herbacidal]

it is, but i have no idea how to even begin from a financial perspective.

is that something you can take a small business loan out for?

define the basic business concept.

gotta start somewhere.

one good way is:

A) The Atlanta area doesn't have ......

this concept provides that.

this is how that concept provides that.

this is the operational structure for that concept.

start with that before you get into thinking about the financing.

small business loans you can do, but i wouldn't suggest borrowing any more than 40% of your total capital needs.

[tryska]

thanks for the tip herbacidal - i will think on it this weekend, and sketch something out. this is basically the foundations for a Business Plan, no?