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- by Lisa Monti
People driving by the building on US 90 that used to house Third Base kept close tabs as crews transformed the beer-and-burger joint into something completely different in this area, a restaurant offering modern Indian cuisine with distinct flavors from spices and herbs.
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Responding to the high interest in Indian Paradise, the owners held a soft opening last weekend, setting out a small buffet for lunch and dinner with salad, various curry dishes and dessert. Curious customers swarmed in, causing traffic to back up on the highway.
One hundred or so diners went through the buffet line, as a few of the owners answered questions about the spinach pakora, vegetable moilee, chicken tandoori, yellow dal and other entrees. During the first dinner service, 150 people poured in, and within two hours, all of the food was gone.
Those lucky enough to get in for lunch or dinner (or both) immediately lit up social media with rave reviews about the food and the service.
“A breath of fresh air,” one reviewer called it. “It’s so nice to have this dining option in the Bay,” wrote another fan. One reviewer said, “I already see myself a regular.”
For now, the restaurant will continue with its soft-opening hours while the owners polish the menus for lunch and dinner, to-go items and drinks at the bar.
“We are in transition mode and things are going to change while we figure out the best way to run the restaurant smoothly,” said Amit Patil, one of the owners.
There may be a hint of what Indian Paradise’s menu will look like based on the menu at the partners’ first restaurant, Royal India Bistro in Alexandria, La. Amit Tidke, another of the owners, said the partners previously opened two restaurants in California, where they lived before moving to Bay St. Louis. They also own Old Town Grocery on Main Street and recently opened Maas Food Mart in Gulfport.
Diners at Indian Paradise can expect the kitchen to turn out dishes such as lamb curry, raita, butter chicken, chicken tikka masala, lentils and naan. Chicken, fish and vegetable dishes will be regular items. Patil said the menu will also include dishes showcasing Indian flavors in creations such as curry pasta.
Indian Paradise is now open Tuesday through Sunday for lunch and dinner. Beer and liquor licenses are in the works. Updates on Indian Paradise can be found on Google, Instagram and Facebook.
Indian Paradise
809 U.S. 90
Bay St. Louis
Phone: (228) 254-6436
Hours:
Tuesday-Sunday
Lunch 11:30 am - 2:30 pm
Dinner 5:30 pm - 8:30 pm
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