Tava Indian Street Food in the Central Business District announced the popular restaurant will close its doors for good.
The restaurant’s chef, Manish Patel, said the last day for business is Saturday, Nov. 18.
Patel explained his decision to close Thursday on Instagram.
“We have experienced such a major shift in this ‘post-COVID’ time where remote work has replaced full office buildings,” Patel said in the post. “And the intense heat that plagued the city this summer kept the slow season for longer than usual.”
“Also it costs more than just money,” he continued. “Death threats belligerent/entitled customers and unrealistic expectations…are just a glimpse of what a daily roller coaster of emotions look like.”
Manish Patel recently opened Tava Indian Street Food in the CBD. It’s a follow-up to his food stall at the Auction House Market.
“We are all out here trying to make it!”
Tava moved from food haul to full-service restaurant serving energy-filled Indian favorites with a street food appreciation of casual shareability.
Tava was featured in Bon Appetit’s list of ”The Absolute Best Dishes We Ate at New Restaurants This Year.”
The “say cheese dosa” at Tava was featured on the list for chef Mannish Patel’s blend of traditional Indian and modern American influences. Dosa are lentil and rice batter pancakes cooked on round grills (called tavas) at the bar, and this one gets a dose of cheddar and garlic aioli. The author called the dosa “drunk food for the gods.”
Dosa, a thin pancake made from fermented rice and lentil batter on a piping hot griddle, is a centerpiece of Tava Indian Street Food in New Orleans. (Staff photo by Ian McNulty, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune)
“I hope to cook for you once again! Until next time!” Chef Patel signed off.