By Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
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ROCKFORD — A new craft Indian kitchen serving authentic cuisine that’s handmade from scratch is set to open in the former Cucina di Rosa.
Vanakkam India: Craft Indian Kitchen plans to have its soft opening today at 1602 N. Bell School Road. Head chef and owner John Vinoth Kumar Rajan, who runs the restaurant with his business partner, Nu Nu, said the name is derived from a greeting in India that loosely translates to welcome to India.
“It’s my longtime dream to start a restaurant,” said Rajan, a native of Tamil Nadu in south India who has lived in Rockford for three years. “I love food. I love serving food. I love to cook. That’s my ambition.”
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Everything served at Vanakkam India is made from scratch, including the unleavened flat bread, which is fresh from a Tandoor clay oven.
The menu includes a range of traditional Indian food including tikka masala, Tandoori shrimp, lamb seekh kebab and Gongura chicken, a spicy and sour recipe that is popular in Rajan’s home town in south India.
“We are focusing on health. If you have some spice to your body it will boost your immune system,” he said. “We are using all fresh spices, ground fresh spices.”
Rajan said the food will be authentic, but the spices are catered to Western palates that may not be accustomed to the hottest spicy food.
“Most of our food is going to be mild to medium, not extremely spicy,” Rajan said. “If some people want it really spicy, there is an option to add spice.”
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Rajan came to Illinois from India in 2017 and has worked as a chef in a variety of Indian restaurants. He also worked for Regent Seven Seas and Viking cruise lines. He’s been in Rockford the past three years, and his goal has long been to open his own kitchen.
He looked at a variety of places, including spots in downtown and in Edgebrook before setting on the former Cucina di Rosa. The Italian restaurant closed Jan. 1 after six years in business.
“It’s calm and quiet,” he said of the location. “Especially when it snows or when there’s fall color. You have a nice place to sit for a long time.”
About | Vanakkam India
Where: 1602 N. Bell School Road, Rockford
On social: Facebook
Contact: 815-985-1080
Hours: 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday; closed on Mondays except for today’s soft opening after 5 p.m.
This article is by Kevin Haas. Email him at khaas@rockrivercurrent.com or follow him on X at @KevinMHaas or Instagram @thekevinhaas and Threads @thekevinhaas