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April 26, 2019

New Indian restaurant opens on Broadway

PHOTOS | Michelle Tuccitto Sullo The new restaurant Sherkaan Indian Street Food in New Haven has been redecorated with murals reminiscent of old-world India. Several Yale and New Haven city officials joined together for a ribbon-cutting ceremony Thursday to mark the restaurant's official grand opening.
By Michelle Tuccitto Sullo

The murals, decor and food of New Haven’s newest eatery are designed to make patrons feel as though they are dining on the streets of India.

Sherkaan Indian Street Food opened at 65-B Broadway in the Shops at Yale on April 3, and Yale University Properties hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony Thursday morning.

Owner Ankit Harpaldas called it a “wonderful location,” as it is right on the Yale campus and tucked away from the main road.

“It is the right size for us — not too big or too small,” Harpaldas said. “New Haven is what I like to call the food capital of Connecticut. At Sherkaan, we are putting a new twist on Indian food — paying homage to the culture while making it more approachable for everyone.”

Harpaldas is experienced in the restaurant industry, as he also owns Taprock Beer Bar & Refuge in Unionville. His father worked as a chef preparing Indian food, so Harpaldas feels he was born into the business.

In the three weeks since the restaurant opened, it has been seeing a steady flow of customers, as Sherkaan has been advertising on social media.

Sherkaan, which is Hindi for “tiger king,” is themed after old-world India. The interior of the restaurant features murals reminiscent of the country, and it is decorated with bicycles.

David Mascolo, general manager, said the restaurant offers a range of Indian food.

“Our food is from all over India — we are representing the entire country, and we will rotate the menu seasonally,” Mascolo said.

Harpaldas and co-owner Sona Ramchandani, both Connecticut residents, created a menu with some traditional dishes and some with a modern twist, which is why “street food” is part of the restaurant’s name.

“This restaurant will take you on a journey,” Harpaldas said.

The menu features “Street Eats,” such as Vada Pav Sliders, which is a spiced aloo patty, green and tamarind chutney, and onion. It also includes “Chaats” or appetizers like Keema Tots, which are fried aloo dumplings, spiced lamb filling and mint raita. The main courses include treats like smoked eggplant masala curry. They offer a range of desserts, with mango ice cream and chocolate dosa among the options.

According to Harpaldas, Indian cuisine has many interesting ingredients which haven’t been used to their fullest extent in traditional Indian restaurants.

“We hope to raise the bar,” he said. “Everything is made from scratch. We don’t buy anything pre-made and you can see that in the quality of food we serve.”

The restaurant is open for lunch and dinner daily, and it has created about 30 full- and part-time jobs.

Yale University Associate Vice President for New Haven Affairs and University Properties Lauren Zucker said Yale is delighted to welcome the restaurant to the city’s dining scene and to support local entrepreneurs in opening up restaurants here.

“The inside is absolutely spectacular,” Zucker said. “The décor is intended to carry you away to the streets of India.”

Contact Michelle Tuccitto Sullo at msullo@newhavenbiz.com

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