Meat samosas, fried lamb turnovers, Kashmiri naan, a stuffed unleavened white bread appetizer, and Chicken Tikka Masala, a diced, boneless and spiced chicken dish dressed in a fragrant and creamy tomato sauce served with basmati rice, are some of the classic Indian dishes served at Raagini Indian Bistro, located next to Thai Sweet Basil Restaurant in Shawsheen Plaza.
Jaspreet Singh, owner and manager of the bistro, worked at Kashmir Restaurant in Salem, New Hampshire, for eight years before deciding to open his own business. His family has run numerous restaurants in both Massachusetts and New Hampshire.
“We have a really good Chicken Tikka Masala. The chicken is cooked in a charcoal clay oven. Everybody loves it. Andover students always order the Chicken Tikka Masala. It’s the number one dish on the menu. Our homemade special yogurt drinks, like the Mango Lassi and Strawberry Lassi, are also bestsellers,” said Singh.
Singh strives to use fresh, yet simple ingredients to create a dish that reminds patrons of the warmth of India.
He also tries to create a quality dining experience and meals for all his customers by catering to vegans and vegetarians, according to the Raagini website.
“[Our] goal is just to make everybody happy. [My family owns] seven other restaurants. For all the restaurants, the [shared] goal is to make everybody go home satisfied,” said Singh.
Raagini Indian Bistro hosts a special lunch buffet that allows customers to sample almost all of the options on the bistro’s menu.
The buffet is open from 11:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays.
Raagini also offers takeout and delivery services, both over the phone and online, seven days a week from 11:30 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.
Busy students reluctant to walk down to Shawsheen Plaza can enjoy a full meal of Indian delicacies with just the click of a mouse.
“It’s so convenient that there is an Indian restaurant just down the road! I ordered in with a few dorm mates right after the SATs a couple of weeks ago and I have to say, the speed of the delivery and the tastiness of the meat samosas definitely made my day,” said Caroline Chen ’14.
According to Singh, Andover students will receive a 10 percent discount for any order.
