Relocating a successful restaurant is a risky proposition, as some regular customers might be lost or it could fail to catch on in a new neighborhood.
But relocation can bring new customers and a chance to make improvements.
I never visited the original location of Ruchi Bangladeshi Cuisine, but it appears the restaurant is making the most of its new home at the Plaza del Sol shopping center in Chamblee.
Ruchi attracted attention when it first opened in 2017 because its proprietor, Amit Shapta, was just 22 years old and still a student. Shapta had taken over a small but highly visible space on Peachtree Road in Chamblee.
Credit: Henri Hollis
Credit: Henri Hollis
In the ensuing years, Ruchi became a neighborhood favorite and survived the pandemic.
The new Ruchi location is less than 2 miles from the original building, and although the new dining room also is humble, it’s large and comfortable. And it’s accessible, with plenty of parking and much less traffic on New Peachtree Road.
Shapta, who is nearing 30, still works the dining room with a bright, welcoming smile.
As is the case at many Asian restaurants, Ruchi’s menu is enormous and might be intimidating to diners not familiar with it. But part of the reason for its length is that there are separate sections for chicken, beef and lamb that include many of the same dishes that differ only in the listed protein.
Credit: Henri Hollis
Credit: Henri Hollis
Bangladeshi cuisine has significant overlap with Indian food, although the spellings of common dishes might differ. At Ruchi, shaak takes the place of the Indian saag, tondoori replaces tandoori, moshol-la replaces masala, etc.
Despite the repetition between menu sections, the restaurant offers plenty of variety and distinct flavors.
Chicken 65, a popular Indian appetizer, was made with tender, boneless hunks of fried chicken coated in a warm, richly spiced sauce. Like many of Ruchi’s dishes, a touch of heat added energy to the sauce. The restaurant allows diners to customize the spice level of many items, and the medium level was approachable.
Credit: Henri Hollis
Credit: Henri Hollis
Chili ponir was like a vegetarian version of the chicken 65, substituting fried bits of cheese for chicken. The mild, homemade cheese paired beautifully with the heavily spiced sauce.
Tondoori items were served sizzling, just as fajitas are, adding an extra layer of excitement to an already dynamic dish. With the mixed tondoori, you can try lamb, shrimp and two different kinds of chicken on one plate, but the chicken tikka version stood out. The tondoori cooking method gives the boneless pieces of chicken some texture, with crispy edges and bits of caramelized sauce.
Credit: Henri Hollis
Credit: Henri Hollis
The bhagari shrimp also was impressive, thanks to excellent execution. The plump, peeled and deveined shrimp were the perfect texture — snappy but tender and nowhere close to overcooked. They were paired with a special, deeply savory tomato curry.
Ruchi’s butter chicken was solid, if not spectacular, and a vegetarian dish called kopi makhani — made with cauliflower florets in yellow curry that was a little too sweet — did not quite work.
However, with so many dishes on the menu it was impressive that there were hardly any duds.
Despite the change of location, the restaurant appears to have retained all the ingredients that attracted neighborhood support at its old location.
Ruchi is following a simple, time-honored recipe for success: The dining room is welcoming and comfortable, as is the service, and the portions are large, while the prices are reasonable.
Credit: Henri Hollis
Credit: Henri Hollis
RUCHI BANGLADESHI CUISINE
2 out of 4 stars (very good)
Food: Bangladeshi
Service: excellent
Noise level: low
Recommended dishes: chicken 65, chili ponir, mixed naan, chapati, mixed tondoori platter, butter chicken, chaana begoon, kopi makhani, beef madras, chicken tikka, bhagari shrimp
Vegetarian dishes: naan, pur, rooti, parata, chapati, two-piece vegetable shingaara, shigaara chaat, chili ponir, onion pakora, two-piece pappor, kopi pakora, vegetable biryani, ponir tikka, shaak ponir, chaana begoon, dharosh bhaji, aloo daal, kopi makhani, Bombay aloo, shobji daal, aloo motor, aloo begoon, chaana moshol-la, aloo kopi, shaak aloo ponir, begoon bhorta, mushroom shaak, mushroom daal, mushroom chaana, mushroom bhaji, mushroom aloo, shaak methi malai motor, shobjir korma, shaak aloo, tarka daal, niramish, ponir korma, peas polao, motor ponir, malai kofta
Alcohol: no
Price range: $25-$50 per person
Hours: noon-10 p.m. Tuesdays-Thursdays, noon-11 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays, noon-10 p.m. Sundays
Accessibility: fully ADA-compliant with street-level entry
Parking: free lot
MARTA: three-quarters of a mile walk from Chamblee station
Reservations: no, unless for large parties
Outdoor dining: no
Takeout: yes
Address, phone: 5522 New Peachtree Road, Chamblee. 678-691-9270
Website: ruchibangladeshi.com
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s dining critics conduct reviews anonymously. Reservations are not made in their name, nor do they provide restaurants with advance notice about their visits. Our critics always make multiple visits, sample the full range of the menu and pay for all of their meals. AJC dining critics wait at least one month after a new restaurant has opened before visiting.
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