According to our friends at AnnArbor.com, Ypsilanti’s one and only Indian restaurant – Temptations – will reopen next week under new management. Here’s a clip from the article:
…The new incarnation of the restaurant is being led by Rainbow Hospitality, a consortium founded by graduates (and a professor, Ravi Anupindi) of the University of Michigan’s Stephen M. Ross School of Business. The group intends to build a chain of Indian restaurants operated by “celebrity chefs and restaurant experts” who pay particular attention to the authenticity of the food, with the ultimate goal being to, in the words of Rainbow’s brochure, “bring the Indian delicacies to people from all spectrums.”
Joydeb Bose, one of the founders of the previous Temptations, is back, now as vice president of operations, after running two other Indian restaurants in, of all places, Columbus, Ohio..
“We reach out to everyone,” said Bose. “We welcome all to share our passion for the food.”
“Everyone” especially includes students, Bose added. A special section of the restaurant, in fact, will be set aside just for them. It will include wifi access, extended hours, a television, places to study, and an “economical” menu designed for the typical student’s tight budget. “Students will be able to get box lunches for $5.95,” he said. “We will include rice, a couple different entrees, a salad, and desserts”…
The “celebrity chefs” part scares me a little – in that it makes me think that they might be more interested in creating something that others will invest in than in serving good food – but otherwise it sounds great.
So, for the time being, my plans to open a knock-off of Neehee’s Indian Vegetarian Street Food here in Ypsi are on hold. (One day, I’ll post more on Neehee’s. I promise.)
And, as long as we’re on the subject of Indian food, I thought that I should mention that my favorite local place right now is Mahek, on Washington Street, in Ann Arbor. Their use of spice is subtle and absolutely brilliant.
11 Comments
I’m happy to hear that Temptations is reopening, but I’ve been wishing that there was an Indian restaurant downtown for a long time … I say do it Mark!
It sounds like they’re going to try to franchise the concept. I don’t typically like franchises, but, if it’s good stuff, I’d love to have a reliable Indian place across the country.
I was sad when Temptations closed – glad to hear they are making a come back…
Mark, you should still move forward with your idea. Competition is a good thing – and god knows Ypsi could use some more good restaurants. And with our local outlaw hippies – we should have an ample supply of fresh veggies and chicken/goat meat…
Mark’s right. Ypsi needs a downtown Neehee’s. What if we as a community petition them to open one?
Does anyone know the owner of Neehee’s? If so, I’d love to approach them about opening a third location here in Ypsi. If we could get 500 people to say that they’d eat there once a month for a year, it might be enough to persuade them.
I’d never been to Neehee’s but you inspired my partner and I to hop in the car and go there yesterday. What a great place – if anyone gets a petition going we’ll sign it!
I feel bad because I don’t know or understand Indian food. I guess I need a lesson. Wow Neehee’s looks yummy. Guess I need to try that place and Temptations! Thanks for the heads up!
I wouldn’t say I “know” the owner but I met him the first time we went there. He was working the counter and told me that to his surprise, he was seeing many more non-indians coming in than he’d expected. I told him once the word was out about his yummy food, he’d be swamped. I let him know we were from Ypsi and told him he should open one out our way. Planting the seeds.
I heard a GLOWING review from a good friend on Friday. I’m excited to try T’s again, because last time we ate there, it was a complete disaster.
Thanks enormously for the Neehee’s tip–what a find! Having one in downtown Ypsi–or even at Al Noor’s old spot–might push Madras Masala in AA to work a little harder.
It’s nice to return from exile and have Temptations open.
I had lunch there this afternoon and it was just as tasty as before.
The renovation is very nice, with an open kitchen and a fantastic bar.
My only complaint is the buffet serving dishes, which are clam shell attached lid type devices that end up being a little awkward during the busy lunch gluttony. For general sanitary reasons I prefer the psudo-security of the sneeze guards like they used to have.