The Register-Herald, Beckley, West Virginia

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  • Jyoti Rauniyar, left, Santosh Shrestha, center, and Hari Acharya stand in the dinning room of the Aangan Indian Cuisine restaurant on Robert C. Byrd Drive in Beckley. The new restaurant will have its grand opening Thursday. It is located in the former Quizno’s location. Rick Barbero

    India
April 25, 2010

Taste buds that want Indian food now will find it here

Owner: the key is an open mind

By Michelle James For The Register-Herald

BECKLEY — Although the Beckley area offers many choices for those wishing to dine out, fans of Indian cuisine have had to drive as far away as Charleston and Huntington to satisfy their taste buds.

That is not the case anymore, however, as Aangan Indian Cuisine prepares for its grand opening Thursday.

“I heard from so many people who were looking for a different taste around here,” said Nepal native Santosh Shrestha. “There was no Indian restaurant, so we want to try to bring a new taste to town.”

The restaurant is a joint venture of Shrestha, who has years of experience in restaurant management, and his cousin, Jyoti Rauniyar, a Nepali businessman who flew to Beckley to help get the restaurant up and running.

Shrestha, who will manage the day-to-day operations, said he believes the restaurant is a good fit for the area.

“People are really excited,” he said, adding several have stopped by the restaurant, located in the old Quizno’s on Robert C. Byrd Drive, every day to see when it is opening.

For those who haven’t tried Indian food, both Shrestha and Runnier say the key is keeping an open mind.

“It’s a new taste and people might be scared to try it,” Rauniyar said. “But I want to tell people to give it a chance.”

Indian food, the men say, is not only a different taste, but a different lifestyle, one they say is healthier.

“Most of the spices used in Indian cooking were chosen originally for their medical qualities rather than for flavor,” Rauniyar said, adding many like turmeric and cloves are antiseptics and others like ginger and carminative are useful for digestion.

Also, the men say the restaurant offers many vegetarian dishes that are “just as rich and satisfying as our meat dishes.”

The restaurant decor, Rauniyar said, is different than other restaurants.

“Inside the restaurant, you’ll find a cozy, relaxing ‘walk back in time’ environment influenced by traditional Indian and Nepali artwork and decor,” he said.

Shrestha said he is looking forward to Thursday’s opening and is excited about offering local residents a bit more diversity.

“You don’t have to leave town to give your taste buds a vacation” he said.

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Aangan Indian Cuisine, located at 3144 Robert C. Byrd Drive, opens Thursday aat 3 p.m. and serves daily from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., with a lunch buffet Friday through Sunday.

Catering services are also available by calling 304-890-3667.

— E-mail: mjames@register-herald.com

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