Tulsi

The owner of Tulsi, Monty Patel has come a long way since arriving in Wellington in 1986 to work in his brother's dairy in Willis St. Monty left there shortly after to open his own Superette in Cuba St.In 1999 he opened his first Tulsi Indian Restaurant in Cuba St and eight years later it has been joined by outlets in the BNZ Food Court in Wellington, in Petone, in Porirua's North City Foodcourt and a restaurant in central Christchurch. Monty also co-owns Masala Indian Cafe and Bar in Allen St.Tulsi has been voted the top Indian restaurant in Wellington and has won the best butter chicken award for Wellington many times.In 2007 Monty embarked on the next stage of expansion, opening a new Tulsi restaurant in Miramar, at 11 Tauhinu Rd. This restaurant seats 80 diners, has been fitted out in the same stylish decor as the others in the chain, and serves the same award-winning northern Indian cuisine. What especially excites Monty about the Miramar venture is the commercial kitchen that has been created behind the new restaurant.The Miramar restaurant fronts a factory at the rear which makes a range of fresh and frozen Tulsi special recipe pies and meals which are then distributed through supermarkets and other food outlets including Wellington International Airport.This high tech kitchen also cooks all of the sauces and meals for all the Tulsi franchise restaurants. The sauces are packed using the latest technology and delivered direct to Tulsi restaurants ensuring top-quality, standardised meals at all of the outlets."The quality will be the same at all branches, so our diners will know what they are going to get, no matter where they choose to eat," says Monty"We have always focussed on providing high-quality food, lots of it, at a very reasonable price with fast, excellent service, in outstanding settings. That is why our outlets are very popular."