Although Ashirwad Indian Restaurant has only been open since July 4, Ashim Malla said he’s accruing repeat customers.
“I have a guy who has already come in four times,” said Malla, who co-owns the restaurant with his wife, Suzy Karki, and colleague Mitra Poudel.
Mitra Poudel, left, and Ashim Malla are two of the co-owners of Ashirwad Indian Restaurant on State Street in Madison. Malla’s wife, Suzy Karki, is also an owner.
As Malla talked about business so far, mother and daughter duo Irma and Taila Venner walked in. Malla recognized them and joked they were back again so soon.
Irma, in town visiting Talia, said she was initially drawn to Ashirwad by the smell of the food. “We’ve been going to restaurants two or three times a day. … I was like, ‘Oh, we’re coming back.’”
Talia Venner, left, shares dishes with her mom, Irma. This is the second time they’ve been back to the restaurant, which opened July 4.
Ashirwad, 128 State St. A, is a new Indian restaurant open Tuesday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. It seats about 70 and is serving a limited menu primarily focused on Indian restaurant staples like chicken tikka masala ($18.95), palak paneer ($17.95) and lamb biryani ($18.95).
Malla and Karki also own The Globe, a popular international fusion restaurant on State Street, and Triangle Market, a historic convenience store that gives daily tours. In the future, Ashirwad plans to draw on The Globe’s fusion focus to create Indian fusion dishes, drawing inspiration from Italian, Mexican and Chinese flavors.
The Globe has grown increasingly popular over the years, to the point where Malla reported “people were walking out because this is so too busy.” Ashirwad aims to give folks looking to dine at The Globe another option close by. The restaurants are less than “a two-minute walk” from one another, Malla said.
Tandoori chicken ($18.95) is served still smoking hot on a cast iron platter.
Malla partnered with Poudel after going on a hike. Malla mentioned he was looking to open a new restaurant and asked if Poudel knew anyone looking for an opportunity. With his experience working in Indian restaurants since 2012, Poudel said he was interested.
Poudel said his goal is to serve “the best biryani,” a spiced rice dish with meat or vegetables, but then amended his statement. His goal is to serve “the best food in town.”
With the success of The Globe, which opened in 2018, Malla knew he wanted to open another business in the same neighborhood. As he looked up and down State Street, he felt an “authentic Indian restaurant” was missing.
Ashirwad means “blessing” and is also the name of Malla’s son. To make sure he doesn’t leave his daughter out, the restaurant’s LLC is named after her (Aishwarya Laxmi LLC, d/b/a Ashirwad Indian Restaurant, he pointed out).
The vegetarian options at Ashirwad include palak panner ($17.95), cubes of cottage cheese in a spinach sauce.
Poudel will be the main person at the helm of the restaurant. He said he wanted the menu to be super focused to start and they’ll add more dishes as the restaurant picks up steam.
The dining room is divided into two distinct spaces. The main room has bright yellow and pink walls that flow into the kitchen (there’s a small wall partially blocking the kitchen, but patrons can sneak a peek through a small window). A secondary dining space is painted purple.
Malla said he wanted the spaces to feel different so diners can have multiple experiences when visiting. The secondary dining room will be available in the future for private parties and reservations.
Ashirwad has two distinct dining spaces: a main room painted in bright yellow and pink, and a secondary area, pictured above, that will be available for large parties and private events.
For now, folks can walk in and place to-go orders at a kiosk by the register. There are no delivery options or online options yet, but they may be added in the future.
Along with Indian and fusion dishes, Poudel plans to draw from his background and infuse the menu with Nepalese touches. Malla said there are plans to add a patio and brunch service and to expand Indian offerings, like offering a thali option — a large platter that allows patrons to try a variety of foods.
Malla is touched by the attention both The Globe and Ashirwad are receiving. He mentioned patrons telling him they came from Milwaukee to dine at The Globe. As he chatted with the mother and daughter repeat customers, another guest walked in who Malla recognized. Malla shook his hand, sat with him and walked through the menu.
“When you work so much, work so hard for it, and when you see people appreciate what you do … that’s the best thing you can ask for,” he said.
Pakoras ($9.95), fried onion fritters topped with Indian spices, are served alongside mint and tamarind chutneys.
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