We have to admit we were a bit skeptical when we heard that Chutney’s Bistro, the Indian restaurant in Wallingford Center, was serving organic food. What did that mean, exactly? Some organic ingredients? All organic ingredients? Which ingredients?
So, we asked Harish Khurana, the owner.
Turns out they have a separate menu available, which features 100% organic ingredients for a select set of items, including Matar Paneer, Vegetable Jalfrezi and Chicken Tikka Masala.
It started almost by accident: his wife had made a big deal out of organic for a while, but he didn’t think it made economic sense. But one day he was shopping at Whole Foods (not a store known for its low prices) and asked whether there discounts available for restaurants. There were. He started making lists of what he could get from various suppliers and found that by putting together orders from PCC, Whole Foods, Charlie’s and even CostCo (which, apparently, has inexpensive organic chicken), he was able to construct a full menu of organic food. Even the wines on the menu are organic.
The prices are a bit higher, reflecting the higher costs of the ingredients (Chicken Jalfrezi that is $12.95 on the regular menu is $16.95 organic, for example), but Harish insists the goal isn’t to earn more money on a per-meal basis. Instead, it’s to survive and build traffic and volume during the economic slump.
We think it’s a great experiment and hope it continues. We see more and more “Contemporary American” organic restaurants popping up, but world cuisine seems to have lagged behind the trend. If there’s another Indian restaurant with an organic menu in Seattle, we haven’t found it. Nice work, Harish.
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Its great to see a local business stretching out to attract new customers! I hope it works out well for them.
Tried it last time we were there. In my opinion the portions were too small to justify the price, even for organic.
Robba — what sized portions to you expect at a restaurant? In my experience (and we have been going to Chutney’s for years!) the portions are plenty large, especially if you consider how rich (and calorie-dense) the food is. Really, one dish can easily serve two people, if you’re eating properly rather than overeating.
Portions will depend on where I’m eating and what I order, and for an order of Chicken Masala at Chuntey’s (and I’ve eaten here plenty of times before), I expected more than what I got. It was in no sense of the word large, unless you decide to get an extra bowl of rice and dump it on top. And not sure if you’re assuming anything, but I stand 5’10” and weigh 175 lb, so it aint like I’m trying for maximum density here. I usually leave feeling plenty full, but this time – not so much.