"I AM" so Grateful!!!!!!! :-)
I Am at Peace with Destiny
Meatless in Nashville
http://nashvillecitypaper.com/news.php?viewStory=61241
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| Posted: Monday, July 7, 2008 2:11 am
Here are three words the average Nashvillian would not immediately associate with a successful business model. But, perhaps the average Nashvillian has failed to feast on the flavorful fare featured at Woodlands Indian Vegetarian Cuisine. As sure as curry and chutney are to Indian cuisine what butter and salt are to Southern cooking, Woodlands owner Santosh Kotian has created — in a mere three years — an unlikely entrepreneurial success story in this meat ‘n’ three city. And Kotian has done so with the odds against him. After serving for three years as the head chef at an Indian restaurant in Charlotte, N.C., he decided to be his own boss and, using the Internet, find a city that lacked a restaurant serving South Indian cuisine. Kotian, accompanied by sister Junita Pradhan, chose Nashville, in large part, because of the Sri Ganesha Hindu Temple in Bellevue. Knowing no one, Kotian arrived to set up shop in a location known for restaurant failures and in a town whose residents are proudly carnivorous. (The gracious Kotian, who admittedly eats a bit of seafood, said the chances of him introducing meat to his menu are “never, never, never.”) Of course, a shrewd restaurant marketer might argue Kotian is a genius, as Woodlands’ competition is slimmer than your average cycling, hiking and Mother Jones-reading vegan. There is Grins on the Vanderbilt campus. And, Veggie Café recently upped the tofu quotient in the hipster east side of town. Bethel, the underrated Ethiopian eatery in Midtown, offers a berbere-glorious meat-free lunch buffet on Wednesdays. Beyond those, there’s not much else. Three years ago this October, Kotian and Pradhan opened Woodlands in the first floor of The Continental, a 1960s-era mid-rise condo building that looms over West End Avenue near Interstate 440. Various restaurants that previously occupied the space had met a quick demise. But Santosh and Junita (who has since married and now toils only part time) brought a down-home, diner-like feel to their place, a vibe customers quickly embraced. The first year, Kotian said Woodlands averaged about 150 diners per day. Now the minimum is 200 customers each day, with 250 not uncommon. So revenue is healthy, and Kotian saves at least one salary, as he is the main chef at Woodlands. Kotian estimates that on weekdays about 75 percent of his customers are non-Indian. In contrast, weekends draw crowds that are about 75 percent Indian. “Office workers enjoy it,” he said of his weekday demographic. “Some come four or five times per week.” The loyals load up on various foods common throughout India (for example, chick peas, cauliflower, lentils, etc.) but highlighted by spicings and culinary creations distinctive to South Indian. Standards with this fare include iddly (steamed or fried rice-and-lentil cakes), dosa (rice-and-lentil crepes often with a potato and green pea filling) and uthappam (thick rice-and-lentil pancakes). Three weeks ago, Kotian added some Indo-Chinese items to the menu. This cuisine melds, for example, fried rice and noodles with Indian favorites. Specific dishes include cauliflower Manchurian (which incorporates soy sauce), Szechwan dosa (the crepes are filled with Szechwan-spiced vegetables) and a noodle dosa. “This is popular in India,” Kotian said of the Indo-Chinese cuisine. Noodles in the dosa or not, Nashville’s Indian community loves the family friendly Woodlands, with many contending Woodlands is the most authentic of Davidson County’s roughly 10 Indian restaurants. Some of Woodlands’ appetizers, including the idli (a savory cake of fermented black lentils and rice) and the vada (comparable to a Western donut but spicy), and several entrees (particularly the dosa types) are “South Indian delicacies,” according to Gayathri Narasimham, who is originally from Chennai, India, and a Vanderbilt University professor. “We do not get these in the other Indian restaurants in Nashville,” she said. “The taste is authentic and truly delicious.” That authenticity cannot be understated. Given most non-adventurous local eaters would never consider visiting Woodlands to risk soiling their clothing with saag and chana masala in exchange for a meat-free meal, Kotian must deliver a dining experience that maximizes luring an understandably small customer base. The soft-spoken restaurateur, who comes from a family of restaurant owners in India, has done so marvelously. “I've been to several other Indian restaurants that serve non-vegetarian food,” said Ajit Dayal, an Indian-American as well as a Woodlands fan. “Being a lover of cooking Indian food myself, I know that they are not all that authentic,” Dayal said. He noted Woodlands incorporates cooking techniques and flavors found in the Southern state of Tamil Nadu. Non-Indians can recognize the difference, too. Nashville native Libba Gillum Miller has visited India three times and values Indian culture. “I have been a fan of Indian cuisine for years,” Miller said. “Woodlands is the real deal.” Manuel Riemer, a Vanderbilt graduate who will soon begin a teaching position at Wilfrid Laurier University in Canada, said he and wife Jocelyn recently learned that the experienced Kotian primarily prepares Woodland’s gobi Manchurian dish, which combines cauliflower with very hot Chinese spices. Riemer, a native of Germany, said he feels Kotian has perfected Woodlands’ gobi Manchurian. “It is this devotion to the art of cooking that you can taste when you eat at Woodlands,” Riemer said. The couple clearly is devoted to Woodlands, as they celebrated both Manuel’s Vanderbilt graduation and their one-year wedding anniversary at the restaurant. Even once they settle in Canada, it’s unlikely the Riemers will forget Santosh Kotian’s dedication to craft and his beloved eatery. Woodlands Indian Vegetarian Cuisine 3415 West End Ave. 463-3005 Printer-friendly format
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Member Opinions:
By: Healthandwellnessmag on 7/7/08
We are so thrilled to hear The Woodlands Restaurant is doing well. We have held a few company functions there in the private dining room and everyone loved the food and service.
Patricia Martin
Health & Wellness Magazine
By: matahari on 7/7/08
I LOVE Woodlands! The food is always fantastic, even when I have no idea what I'm eating. Doesn't matter, it is all very flavorful and I always feel wonderful the rest of the afternoon. (We call it the Indian food high. Must be the seasonings) I took a coworker there and didn't tell him it was vegetarian (didn't occur to me) and he had no idea until halfway through the meal when I mentioned the lack of meat. It's hearty food at a great price and with a lovely atmosphere. My mouth is watering right now!
