Curry Kitchen Now Open, Offering New Indian Option for Tuscaloosa

Tuscaloosa's new Indian restaurant is officially open for business, featuring an extensive menu of options you don't see often in West Alabama.

As the Thread first reported, Mike Patel has spent the summer transforming the closed O'Charley's on McFarland Boulevard into the Curry Kitchen, his now-open restaurant that serves authentic and healthy Indian dishes and desserts.

Patel said the Curry Kitchen had its "soft open" day late last week and will plan an official ribbon-cutting and grand opening after they are granted a liquor license to sell and serve drinks on site.

Diners can now stop by every day but Tuesday and try out the new restaurant, which is open from 11 a.m. until 10 p.m. They're also on delivery services including Doordash, GrubHub and Uber Eats.

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Patel told the Thread that even without alcohol available, those who have tried the restaurant so far have loved it and a steady stream of favorable reviews are coming in online.

He said customers appreciate the Curry Kitchen's massive menu, which features lots of choices any way you want it cooked.

"Winter is coming in now and we have very good, healthy soups made with chicken, goat and more. We have good vegetarian entrees and meat-based entrees and all of them can help boost the metabolism in wintertime," Patel said. "People have loved our biryanis a lot - in India, we have cultural differences in the South, too. These dishes are from the state of Hyderabad [in Southern India] and everyone who has tried it has really appreciated tasting that kind of biryani."

Patel, who also owns a convenience store in Pickens County, said the flavors are deep and rich, but the heat level doesn't have to scare anyone away.

"We can make anything two ways - hot and spicy, or just using Indian seasonings together to make flavors," Patel said. "You can change the spice level from mild or medium up to Indian spicy. But I don't want anyone to be afraid of it."

With a new sign installed this week and the full menu now available, Patel said he's ready to welcome Tuscaloosa to the Curry Kitchen en masse.

"I would like you to tell people, just come and try. If you never try, then you're never going to know and that's what my concern is," Patel said. "I'd like to show this community some different, healthier food than other places offer. A lot of the customers who have come in since we opened have never had Indian food, but they find they love the taste."

"We're open now - come, visit and support us," he said. "I have tried my best to come to this community and offer something better and healthy."

The Curry Kitchen is open daily except on Tuesdays, from 11 a.m. until 10 p.m.