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closeGateway to India restaurant opens in GH
New Delhi brothers strive to tantalize their customers’ taste buds
Susan Schell
of the Gateway
Gig Harbor took another step on a cultured path when Gateway to India opened on Kimball Drive Nov. 2. Since then, its owners have seen a steady stream of customers trickling in, even without advertising or an official grand opening.
Chiranjiv, “C.J.,” and Surinder Singh know Indian food. Originally engineers by trade, the brothers from New Delhi have operated another popular restaurant by the same name in Tacoma since 1997.
“People were asking us every day, ‘When are you going to open a place in Gig Harbor?’ ” C.J. said. “Then the opportunity for this place fell in my lap.”
The brothers were attracted to the location, where the Harbor Rock Cafe once stood, because of its visibility from the freeway, its easy access and plentiful parking.
The restaurant serves bread and meat cooked in authentic Tandoor ovens and offers a full menu for lunch and dinner, with wine, beer and cocktails.
For the diehard burgers-and-fries crowd, an all-you-can-eat lunch buffet for $9.99 allows customers to sample the dishes without breaking their budget. Each day, the buffet features four meat dishes and four vegetables, which change for variety.
“Some people have not very long lunch breaks, so they want something quick,” C.J. said.
Gateway to India also offers a takeout menu.
“I’ve had about five to 10 people tell me this is the best restaurant in town,” said C.J., who added that the establishment’s crown jewel is its mango pudding.
“It’s the best dessert you’ll ever have,” he said. “A man’s wife told us he never finishes his dessert — he always takes one bite. He ordered the mango pudding and ended up having to fight off his wife.”
All menu items are made to order, so customers can adjust the spicy level of their food to their individual taste.
“There’s a misunderstanding about curry,” Surinder said. “It’s a blend of spices, so it has a different flavor depending on who makes it.”
The brothers aren’t about to give up their secret recipe. They will customize dishes from hot to “mild minus.”
The Singhs have enjoyed a global upbringing. Their father was a diplomat and, as children, they lived in Afghanistan, Thailand, Laos and Japan.
Their warm, friendly demeanor and demand for perfection have made them successful in the restaurant industry.
“We won’t accept anything that’s not right,” C.J. said. “If a loaf of bread is overcooked, we make another one. We make sure when the food goes out, it’s perfect.”
Gateway to India
Gateway to India offers fine cuisine at 6565 Kimball Drive in Gig Harbor. The restaurant is open seven days a week, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 5 to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday, and from noon to 3 p.m. and 5 to 9:30 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.
For more information, call 253-851-2788 or visit www.gatewaytoindiarestaurant.com.