“We put forward the real taste of India, without changing the taste, but by adding the bar side, the atmosphere. We want to show people that Indian cuisine can also be enjoyed in a modern restaurant and contemporary setting, we want to develop an Indian restaurant in Montreal,” replied Goppy Sandhu, co-owner.

The Sandhu family has been in the restaurant business since the 90s, when Ajmer Sandhu, the patriarch, opened Sandhu, an Italian restaurant, in Hochelaga. Established since 1993 in Papineau, it was only in 2011 that the restaurant grew and started offering Indian menus to its customers.

For families, Rosa India was the logical next step, a way to introduce their vision of Indian cuisine. Here, everything is homemade, right down to the naan bread in the traditional tandoor oven. And the menu goes beyond clichés: “People know a lot about North Indian food, butter chicken and sauces… But Indian food isn’t just that! Thanks to the bigger kitchen, we will be able to work more in Griffintown on seafood, whole fish as served in south India,” explains the restaurateur. India Rosa is also known for its extensive menu of fifty colorful and exotic cocktails, with homemade syrups and spices: saffron, cardamom, masala chai…

At the new address, installed on the ground floor of the new MaryRobert residential tower project (which has 450 high-end condos), Rosa Griffintonw India benefits from ample 150-seat space. Tania Perreault (Mélisse, Hidden Fish, aPero bar) marks the design of the place, contemporary, but with an exotic and vegetal touch that makes the place very warm. For now, the new space is closed on Mondays, but will eventually open every lunchtime and evening, with bonus lunches being served on weekends.

1050 Wellington Street, Montreal