![]() These next two Rasas likely won’t be the last-especially with Davis on board. Local design group HapstakDemetriou+ will replicate the colorful Navy Yard space in DC and Virginia with its basket swing seats, bookshelves lined with South Asian authors and family mementos, and paintings from local artist (and family member) Nandita Madan on the wall. The restaurant is also designed to serve both lunch and evening crowds, where patrons can grab a salad bowl and mango lassi during the day or a masala gin-and-tonic and heartier lamb kebabs or ginger shrimp come dinner. Bowls clock in between $10 and $13 with cheeky names like “Tikka Chance on Me” and “Aloo Need Is Love.” Guests can also customize their own with an array of proteins, sauces, veggies, chutneys, and toppings, and round out meals with snacks like mini samosas, young coconuts cracked to order, and fresh-baked naan. And while they’re far from needing to drag customers into their own restaurant, they same that same approachability factory is part of their business model. More times than not, those same friends would come back again and again with dates or their parents. The sons say their response to those friends who “just don’t do Indian food” was to drag them-”sometimes kicking and screaming”-into their family restaurants. Landlords wouldn’t give them a space because they’re like ‘I don’t want my building to smell.’ It’s what immigrant parents deal with that has made the road easier for us.” “They had to fight all sorts of racism and challenges. “We’re absolutely standing on their shoulders and walking down the path they paved,” says Rahman. Vinod and son Rahul Vinod (top right) with Surfy Rahman (bottom right) and son Sahil Rahman. The Rasa family (starting top left): chef K.N. The sons grew up in the restaurants at a time when they say it was even harder to break down stereotypes about their cuisine. Vinod and Surfy Rahman-another set of friends-turned-restaurateurs who immigrated to Washington in 1985 and later opened Indique in Cleveland Park and Rockville’s Bombay Bistro. Humility is something the duo say was taught to them by their fathers, who are also involved in Rasa: chef K.N. “I could tell they were driven to succeed, and most importantly their humility was few and far between.” “I loved Sahil and Rahul’s energy and passion,” says Davis. Like the young restaurateurs, Davis is a University of Maryland grad and was introduced through a mutual friend. Redskins star and about-town philanthropist Vernon Davis just signed on as a “significant investor” and Rasa brand ambassador. ![]() ![]() And even bigger-name athletes have joined the team. Big-name developers are on board (Edens for DC, JBG Smith for Virginia). ![]() Vernon Triangle’s City Vista development this winter, and the other in National Landing in connection with Amazon’s HQ2 headquarters next spring. Two new “fine fast-casual” Rasa locations will open soon: one in Mt. Where they are today with their efforts to make Indian-food-for-all is telling. ![]()
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