Tradition is changing course at a revamped Indian restaurant on 50th & France, mixing Indian spices with international cuisine. Bringing this fusion of flavors is Raag, the venue looking to take strides forward in the city’s Indian restaurant game.
“Our city has many Indian restaurants with traditional dishes, Raag appeals to people seeking refined cuisine with Indian flavors ” said Sohil Goorha, the new Raag owner.
As a hospitality professional, he is a Culinary School graduate, and a self-proclaimed globe trotter, he has traveled to and dined in 20+ countries, Goorha wanted to bring the tastes of modern-day India to Minneapolis. Since December 2020 under his new management, he has curated a progressive menu designed by Food Network Master Chef Ajay Kapoor, has hired new chefs trained in Michelin rated restaurants, and introduced new programs to make Raag, a family-owned restaurant into a class-act partnerships along other fine dining expert. He likes meetings his guests, learning their experiences during their visits. At times you may run into his daughter Cira Goorha (4) who brightens the room with her personality.
The word “Raag,” meaning symphony, is a sentiment to the venue’s grandeur of both palace and palette. Award-Winning Interior Designer Kara Bigos of Kamarron Design created the interior of Raag. The design incorporates subtle inspired accents of India, and the star of Raag’s decor—which Goorha calls “The Lady on the Wall”- is a mural painted by a local artist of a woman embellished in traditional jewelry and a flowy robe.
“We have a venue and food that is as good as what is offered at high-end Michelin rated French, Italian or Japanese cuisines, or for that matter a refined American steak-house, but we keep the food traditional that appeals to all palettes with a progressive twist” Goorha said. “When I say progressive and traditional, we offer dishes like ribs, sliders, sea bass, salmon, lamb chops and Canadian poutine. These are all dishes you would not expect at a traditional Indian restaurant”.
Raag Glazed ribs takes the classic ribs and infuses them with a tamarind sauce glaze. “People who don’t know anything about Indian food can start off by trying these ribs, samosas and Seabass,” Goorha said. The restaurant’s best-selling starter is a Coconut Soup which is vegan gluten-free and infused with Indian sage and curry. “Every sip will give you a traditional coconut flavor but at the same time teases your palette with very mild seasoning of spices,” Goorha said.
Beyond the main dish spectaculars, the menu notably hosts extensive vegan and vegetarian options, which Goorha says is again uncommon for a high-end Indian restaurant.
Goorha credits the excellence of the menu from its “gastronomy” kitchen. “We experiment a lot with foods, fruits, flowers along with spices,” Goorha said. One of Raag’s dishes, Blackened Chicken, is a boneless chicken cooked in clay oven marinated with edible charcoal. By taking these new-age cooking risks, the restaurant gains foodies’ attention.
Crusted Seabass is the restaurant’s newest concoction. The dish is a fillet of prime Chilean sea bass seasoned with chef special rub, coated with walnut crumbs, and cooked using a “secret” tandoor oven technique, served with baby carrots, asparagus, and house salad.
Experimenting with traditional Indian dishes opened a door for Raag to consider each dish’s health benefits and how they could make each plate its own superfood. The menu also keeps the traditional staples of Delhi Butter chicken curry, Paneer tikka masala, Biryani, samosas and naan bread.
Aside from the glamour of the main menu, Raag’s bar mixes its cocktails with the same approach its chefs take to experimenting in the kitchen. The drinks are sprinkled with traditional spices, infused with fruits, and entertain guests with flavors they rarely encounter.
Raag’s signature drink, Kerala Spice Trail, is a bourbon mixed with their homemade bitter. The drink is served on the rocks with smoked cinnamon and orange peel.
Raag has positioned itself to be a family-oriented foodie spot for all taste buds and also a place to sit with friends around the bar. The bar serves bottomless mimosas and bloody mary brunch on weekends and hosts live music every Wednesday.
As a full-blown venue, this new era of Raag has turned its focus to community development and community event hosting. Raag Event Management team has been created to host gatherings such as fundraisers, rehearsal dinners, support dining needs for events around Minneapolis and private in-home dining (if someone is looking to be the dinner party host of the year).
“Raag is not just a restaurant, it is a concept and a destination. We are creating a new identity of Raag to support everything that makes our community special and Raag will be at center of this culinary experience, “ said Goorha. “We are not thinking small. We are actually one of the bars carrying the biggest selection of alcohol with the most beautiful display.”
In February 2022, Raag hosted its first Charity event in support of the mental health of front-line workers in partnership with MN Mental Health Advocate and plans to continue its work with other such initiatives. The venue is suited for up to 125-person events, extending to Raag’s outdoor patio in the warmer months and boast of easy access and onsite free parking on either side of the complex.
“My vision is an evolving Raag with the city of Minneapolis. I have spent decades in corporate and experienced the best of dining across the world. Locals and visitors from near and far remember the cuisine and the experience in places they live in or visit. We want Raag to be the local hangout spot and a destination,” Goorha. “We have locals that come here every evening, just to sit and talk and have a drink. We have seen guests from all over the country coming in to enjoy this unique experience. We are proud to be local Minnesotan with national and growing international appeal.”
For more on Raag, visit www.raagindiancuisine.com. 3812 W 50th St., Minneapolis. (952) 405-8367. Write to them at raagindiancuisine@gmail.com
