In a short period of 2 months, Ritu ki Raso in Burlingtoni has become a very popular eatery in the Greater Boston area. Some of the regulars drive from as far as Quincy and Braintree every weekend. As we were waiting to speak with the owners Ritu and Jyoti, we heard customers compliment Ritu with - "this is the best Chaat that I have eaten in the US”. Similar comments are “echoed” on various other websites including Facebook, Yelp, Chowhound, Google and Yahoo Reviews. Customers, regulars as well as not, have been heard saying that the place is very relaxing and unrushed, very informal - unlike the other joints in the area. One went as far as “it feels like a home away from home”.

Ritu ki Rasoi is an eclectic, pure vegetarian eatery that offers mouth-watering Chaats, Indo-Chinese, authentic south Indian food and delectable home style north Indian meals.

 Ritu and Jyoti talked to Lokvani about the business and what makes their food so special.  

What motivated you to start a catering business?

{ Ritu } Cooking has always been a passion of mine. I’ve been cooking ever since I was allowed to enter the kitchen. I started a catering business at a smaller scale from home. My friends enjoyed my cooking so much that they would constantly recommend me to start a catering business. Following years of success, I thought it to be the right time to bring my dream to fruition.

How challenging was it to start the catering business?

{Ritu} It was a steep learning curve early on. Overseeing construction, permits, licensing details etc. were quite challenging. My brother in law Dr. Pradeep Kedia has a PhD from Wharton business school and my husband also had managed businesses in India. They have been guiding us at every step.

 
What inspired you to open a restaurant?

 {Ritu} Owning a restaurant is a dream of every chef. For me, the time felt right. We have been in the Boston area for a long time and observed that most of our Indian friends would take a trip down to Edison, NJ just to eat chaat and Indo-Chinese food. I am not aware of any restaurant in the Greater Boston area that serves simple “home-style” meals like Chapatti, Daal and non-greasy daily food. Having seen that, I felt there was a gap and that we could create a niche for ourselves by providing just that kind of food. Since we are a pure Vegetarian restaurant, we asked ourselves how we differentiate from the whole host of other Indian Restaurants in the area. we decided to offer a place just like that to the Indian community.


Jyoti, what motivated you to join the business?

{Jyoti} I have been thinking about starting a new venture for a while and this seemed like an interesting challenge. The thought of working with my extended family was a major attraction.

How would you define Ritu Ki Rasoi?

{Jyoti}  We wanted to offer a place that had a home like atmosphere – good food, relaxing and unrushed. People feel very comfortable and welcomed here. Being a family owned business, we like to think of this as a “home away from home.” We are very particular about making and serving everything fresh. Most of the items are made to order and are customized to individual taste as far as possible. Our curries are made daily and we don’t serve them the next day. Most of our customers are pleasantly surprised to find that both north and south Indian dishes are so authentic and that is because we have 2 chefs, specializing in north and south Indian dishes.  Our pricing is quite wallet-friendly. One can enjoy a very satisfying and filling meal for 10-15 dollars. 

Why did you choose Burlington as the location? How have you enjoyed doing business in Burlington?

{Ritu} - Early on, we decided to focus on Burlington because it has a large Indian community and is home to major corporations which bring in Indian folks on a daily basis from around New England - from New Hampshire to Rhode Island. We also wanted a space which was close to the center, large enough to host parties, and offered plenty of parking spaces. This space is perfect!  Burlington has one of the strictest health codes in the state, since we are very fussy about cleanliness; we appreciate the high standards that are enforced here.  


What are the different services offered by the restaurant?

 {Jyoti } Though we are primarily a take-out eatery, we have capacity to seat anywhere from 60-80 people in case people want to sit and eat here. We have noticed that most people like to be here and enjoy their meals and catch up with old friends. We also have party room which measures approximately 800 sft, where people can host birthday parties, baby showers, Sangeet and graduation parties. In addition to all these, we also offer catering services for parties up to 250 people.

What are your future plans? 

{Ritu}-  Currently we are focused on making this, our first location, a success. But at some point in time, we would like to open more places each with its unique offerings.

Any advice for people thinking of pursuing a catering business?

  {Jyoti} Through this process, I have come to realize that restaurant business is only for people who have a true passion for food. It is exhilarating, exciting and very stressful all at the same time. But at the end of the day, when the restaurant becomes a reality and you see people truly enjoying the food, it’s extremely rewarding and you derive a tremendous sense of joy.

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