Located at 1203 North Hobart, Suite 29, sits a Pampa historical milestone: Indian Fusion Restaurant. Straight from the kitchen and popping with flavor, this culinary first has been a savory surprise for Pampa folks, and so far, business is booming and the news is still buzzing.
Owned and operated by Rahul Kumar, Indian Fusion graced Pampa at the end of July, but this isn’t their first restaurant to open in the Texas panhandle.
Indian Fusion first opened up in Shamrock in August of last year, and it didn’t take long for the new restaurant to garner hundreds of glowing reviews, prompting Rahul to set his sights on other towns that were missing the Indian cuisine experience.
Hailing from New Zealand, Rahul has nearly 20 years of experience in the restaurant and hospitality business, and it was during a visit to the United States in a small town located on the historic Route 66 that he would embark on his biggest business venture yet, and one that would pay off tremendously.
“Last year, I came to the United States to visit a friend of mine who owns the Holiday Inn in Shamrock,” he said. “I was looking around the area and didn’t find an Indian restaurant there. I thought maybe this could be a first for me and the town, so I applied for a business visa and acquired the old Dairy Queen building. We opened the business in August of last year and it has been really great. We have more than 300 reviews on Google with a 4.9 star rating, and we also were given some awards for being the best restaurant in the city.”
After making numerous trips back and forth to Pampa, Rahul would be hit with another realization-there wasn’t an Indian food option in Pampa either. With the success of his first restaurant, he decided to take another leap of faith and get to work on opening up his second restaurant.
But this one would be a little bit different. With Shamrock being located right in the middle of a major highway with a steady, constant flow of traffic, they were able to open a dine-in restaurant where weary travelers and tourists could stop and enjoy a meal. However for Pampa, Rahul decided to start small and see where the business would take them.
“I saw there was an opportunity to open a restaurant in Pampa, but I wanted to start small in this location first. We’ll start with a to-go restaurant first, and if it does good, we may go for a bigger, dine-in restaurant.”
The restaurant opened July 30, and so far the business has done great, and Rahul gives credit to not only the customers, but to all those who helped the restaurant get started, thanking Cary Rushing and other City officials who helped make this dream come true.
“The community and the people are so supportive. I made a lot of mistakes on the first day because we ran out of stuff really quickly, but the customers were just so supportive and understanding. And the people at the City of Pampa and Economic Development Corporation really helped me a lot. Whenever I needed help, they were always there, and because I’m new here and unfamiliar with the codes, Cary was really helpful in explaining what to do.”
According to Rahul, the most popular items on their menu are vegetable samosa, butter chicken, cheese and garlic naan, and the chicken tikka masala, and because of this, Indian Fusion has combined these items into a discounted Banquet for Two, including their signature rice pudding for dessert.
He also says the mango lassi is a must-have drink, especially during these hot summer months. This refreshing traditional Indian drink is a hand blended mango, yogurt and cream thirst-quencher that sells out pretty quickly, so be sure to get your hands on one fast!
Since their opening, Indian Fusion has stayed constantly busy, and Rahul and his main cook, Dibak, are looking to expand their team and bring on some folks who would be dedicated to learning and preparing authentic Indian cuisine and providing the best in customer service.
So if you’re in the mood for something different, stop by Indian Fusion at 1203 North Hobart, Suite 29, Monday through Sunday from 10:30 AM to 9:30 PM, or give them a call at 806-204-2045. You can also view the menu on their Facebook Page or their website, www.indianfusionpampa.com
Rahul and his team are excited to be in Pampa and they couldn’t be more thankful for the warm welcome they have experienced so far, and hopefully the business will continue to thrive and expand to other areas of the panhandle, blessing more communities with tasty traditional Indian cuisine.
“We thank the Pampa community for welcoming us. Everyone has been so supportive and excited for us to be here. It has been a dream for me since I first came to the United States to get this kind of opportunity, and I am really grateful to everyone who helped make this happen.”
