BY AMELIA MATTHEWS
RANCHO SANTA MARGARITA, CA - Natraj Indian Bistro had its grand opening on Sept 24 among a large gathering of over a hundred guests and family. The restaurant opened in May. Prominent among those who attended were Rancho Santa Margarita Mayor Pro Tem Brad McGirr; Steven LaMotte,
RANCHO SANTA MARGARITA, CA - Natraj Indian Bistro had its grand opening on Sept 24 among a large gathering of over a hundred guests and family. The restaurant opened in May. Prominent among those who attended were Rancho Santa Margarita Mayor Pro Tem Brad McGirr; Steven LaMotte,
Senior Dist. Representative of the California Legislature and Suzanne Singh, CEO and Board Member of the RSM Chamber of Commerce . Founder of the Natraj restaurants Vijay Khosla along with wife Lisa Khosla and son Ajay who is managing the newly opened restaurant, were given certificates of recognition and congratulatory messages on behalf of the City Council, Chamber of Commerce and the state of California, for helping boost business in the area and bringing ethnic diversity to the city.
Guests were treated to a sumptuous dinner and were entertained by the jazz band Rossi Music.
Vijay Khosla who has been in the restaurant business for several years,speaking to India Journal said he found the first restaurant location by chance in 1990 in Mission Viejo. His wife and he started out in partnership with a good friend Inderjit Singh Gill. When Gill later returned to India Khosla sold three of their restaurants in Laguna Beach, Long Beach and Fountain Valley. “ We kept the Laguna Hills one and continued to grow the business venturing into quick casual dining,” he explained.
Asked why customers should be attracted to Natraj when there were a slew of alternative Indian restaurant choices, Khosla pointed out that Natraj has two different concepts for guests -‘quick casual’ at the three Natraj’s Tandoori locations and Nina’s Indian Grocery and ‘fine dining’ at Laguna Hills and the new Rancho Santa Margarita location. “ We pride ourselves on providing our patrons with a modern atmosphere with high quality furnishings, appetizing presentations and attentive and professional service. Our experienced chefs are always working to improve our dishes and create new ones,” he added.
In regards to catering, Khosla opined that the service they offer in combination with the quality of food ranked them number one.
On the cuisine offered, he described it as “traditional Northern Indian served in a modern setting.”
Some of the hot favorites with guests Khosla said by far, was Chicken Tikka Masala, at all locations, with a close tie for second with Saag Paneer and Baigan Bharta. A majority of guests loved to pair their meals with the delicious Garlic Naan as well.
Being seasoned in the restaurant industry Khosla was asked what valuable tips he could offer those who want to get into the business? He was quick to say that the restaurant business was not as easy as it looked. “ We’ve seen many come and go. Opening a new business at anytime is always a risk,” he added.
Honing in on the reasons for his success as a serial restaunteer having opened so many ventures, he gave credit to the exceptional staff, along with the encouragement and support of families, friends and wonderful guests who have been responsible for their success. The Khoslas have big future plans for Natraj, as Vijay explains “We are continuously focusing on innovating our menus and creating new items.”They currently have six locations. Quick casual: Natraj’s Tandoori Jamboree Road Irvine; Natraj’s Tandoori Quail Hill Irvine; Natraj’s Tandoori Foothill Ranch;
Nina’s Indian and British Grocery & Restaurant. Fine Dining: Natraj Cuisine of India Laguna Hills; Natraj’s Indian Bistro Rancho Santa Margarita. Natraj Indian Bistro is located at 22205 El Paseo, Rancho Santa Margarita. Phone: 949-858-0581
Or visit: NatrajUSA.com or NatrajRSM.com
Guests were treated to a sumptuous dinner and were entertained by the jazz band Rossi Music.
Vijay Khosla who has been in the restaurant business for several years,speaking to India Journal said he found the first restaurant location by chance in 1990 in Mission Viejo. His wife and he started out in partnership with a good friend Inderjit Singh Gill. When Gill later returned to India Khosla sold three of their restaurants in Laguna Beach, Long Beach and Fountain Valley. “ We kept the Laguna Hills one and continued to grow the business venturing into quick casual dining,” he explained.
Asked why customers should be attracted to Natraj when there were a slew of alternative Indian restaurant choices, Khosla pointed out that Natraj has two different concepts for guests -‘quick casual’ at the three Natraj’s Tandoori locations and Nina’s Indian Grocery and ‘fine dining’ at Laguna Hills and the new Rancho Santa Margarita location. “ We pride ourselves on providing our patrons with a modern atmosphere with high quality furnishings, appetizing presentations and attentive and professional service. Our experienced chefs are always working to improve our dishes and create new ones,” he added.
In regards to catering, Khosla opined that the service they offer in combination with the quality of food ranked them number one.
On the cuisine offered, he described it as “traditional Northern Indian served in a modern setting.”
Some of the hot favorites with guests Khosla said by far, was Chicken Tikka Masala, at all locations, with a close tie for second with Saag Paneer and Baigan Bharta. A majority of guests loved to pair their meals with the delicious Garlic Naan as well.
Being seasoned in the restaurant industry Khosla was asked what valuable tips he could offer those who want to get into the business? He was quick to say that the restaurant business was not as easy as it looked. “ We’ve seen many come and go. Opening a new business at anytime is always a risk,” he added.
Honing in on the reasons for his success as a serial restaunteer having opened so many ventures, he gave credit to the exceptional staff, along with the encouragement and support of families, friends and wonderful guests who have been responsible for their success. The Khoslas have big future plans for Natraj, as Vijay explains “We are continuously focusing on innovating our menus and creating new items.”They currently have six locations. Quick casual: Natraj’s Tandoori Jamboree Road Irvine; Natraj’s Tandoori Quail Hill Irvine; Natraj’s Tandoori Foothill Ranch;
Nina’s Indian and British Grocery & Restaurant. Fine Dining: Natraj Cuisine of India Laguna Hills; Natraj’s Indian Bistro Rancho Santa Margarita. Natraj Indian Bistro is located at 22205 El Paseo, Rancho Santa Margarita. Phone: 949-858-0581
Or visit: NatrajUSA.com or NatrajRSM.com
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