By CLAIRE SANT
BGSU Student Contributor
Manny Patel longs for the comfort food of his homeland, but to satisfy the craving for authentic Indian food, he and his family must drive from Bowling Green to Michigan or Cleveland.
To solve this issue, Patel is taking the matter into his own hands.
Patel, the owner and manager of the Bowling Green Dairy Queen, is preparing to open an Indian Cuisine restaurant, next to Dairy Queen at 434 E. Wooster St.
The Curry Lounge, while still a work in progress, will soon be BG’s only restaurant specializing in Indian cuisine.
Patel said he hopes to open in mid-June, allowing customers to dine in and enjoy buffet-style dining on weekends.
In the coming months, he hopes to expand his business to offer delivery and Indian-style street food. The idea had been kindling for a few years before Patel decided to start the project.
“I thought about it [opening the restaurant] three years ago where I lived, but I change my state every two years,” Patel said. “When we moved here, we decided it was our final destination.”
Patel came to the U.S. in 2012 after he completed his bachelor’s degree in India. Bowling Green is a long way from his home city of Kadi, Gujarat, India. He and his wife value the quiet community of Bowling Green but miss the cuisine and culture of their homeland.
He has been recruiting community members to help him with the menu to ensure he has the perfect selection of food, wine and alcoholic beverages – even some whiskies and beers unique to India. Patel said he appreciated the help.
Patel said there will be plenty of vegetarian options because Indian food is traditionally vegetarian.
Some of the most well-known dishes are curry, tikka masala and butter chicken, but The Curry Lounge will offer far more.
The restaurant will be open for lunch, dinner, desserts and drinks.
“I want to make something from Indian culture,” he said.
More details regarding a ribbon cutting ceremony are to be announced, and updates can be viewed on Facebook at “The Curry Lounge.”
