University of Maryland students and community members gathered Monday to celebrate the grand opening of College Park’s newest restaurant, Maryland Tandoor.
The new addition under The Varsity apartment complex on Route 1 offers diners urban fusion cuisine rooted in traditional Indian dishes just steps away from campus, according to Vijay Joshi, Maryland Tandoor’s managing partner.
Joshi said Maryland Tandoor’s goal is to provide “budget-friendly food in a student-friendly environment.”
The restaurant was in the works for the last seven months, Joshi said, as its team had to redesign its space and develop the fusion cuisine reflected in the restaurant’s name.
But Joshi said seven months is a quick turnaround to get a new restaurant up and running. The team was able to expedite the process as he already oversees a mix of Indian and American cuisine restaurants around the Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia area.
During the opening ceremony Monday, several students at this university praised the new addition to the city’s current dining options.
“It’s just a unique place to eat,” Om Desai, a senior public health science major, said. “It’s another way to spread our culture and to be able to enjoy something that tastes like something my mom would make.”
[Meet the UMD alum who inspires others to hit the gym]
By offering take-out service, shareable portion sizes and free refills of certain beverages such as chai, Maryland Tandoor is attempting to cater to the student community, Joshi said.
He also hopes the restaurant will be a peaceful environment for students to use and enjoy.
Desai said there are not many Indian restaurants in the area and Maryland Tandoor is the only one within walking distance of his apartment.
Dimitri Amiridis, a computer and electrical engineering doctoral student, said he frequents other Indian restaurants in the area, but appreciates the convenience of Maryland Tandoor’s location.
As both a vegetarian and spicy food lover, Amiridis said he has been waiting for Maryland Tandoor to open since first seeing signs for the restaurant months ago.
“It’s nice that we have these options here for people with different dietary restrictions,” Amiridis said. “It’s a very nice ethnic cuisine.”
[UMD College Park student liaisons plan to focus on housing issues, civic engagement]
The restaurant uses 100 percent Halal ingredients, according to Maryland Tandoor’s website.
Joshi said he has seen a lot of excitement for the opening of the restaurant, both from students and local residents, and is hopeful for continued support from the entire College Park community.
Mit Patel, a senior computer science major, said that because there are not many people within the Indian community at this university, he appreciates having a restaurant dedicated to his culture.
Patel said he will be coming back to Maryland Tandoor to enjoy food that reminds him of home — right outside his apartment complex.
“It’s nice to just have a small bit of community, even if it’s just a restaurant,” Patel said. “It just means a lot to everyone within this community.”
