First-time restaurateurs Manash and Chitralekha ‘Lekha’ Majhi are set to open their debut restaurant in Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood.
“It’s been almost 10 years in the making because we’ve always been like, ‘Should we do it? Should we not do it?’ Finally, we decided to give it a try because if we don’t we’ll regret it for the rest of our lives,” Manash told What Now Seattle.
Kha-Bar opens this spring at 1621 12th Ave.
The husband-and-wife duo searched for the perfect location and decided Capitol Hill was the ideal home for their brainchild.
“It’s a very happening place–a lot of young people. Lots of people always walk around there. It’s very vibrant, very colorful. I think we’re going to bring something very unique not just to the neighborhood but to Seattle in general,” he said.
The name “Kha-Bar” pays homage to India.
“‘Khabar’ in our language means ‘food.’ Our language is Bengali. ‘Kha’ in Bengali means ‘eat’ or ‘go eat.’ We thought, since we have a bar, we can do ‘Kha-Bar,’” Lekha told What Now Seattle.
She continued, “I’m from the eastern part of India. In Seattle, whenever we go out to get Indian food, it’s mostly South Indian or the West or North. We thought it would be really nice to add that flavor—the flavor will be inclined to East India.”
The menu will elevate classic dishes with added flair and spice, featuring items like nachos, pasta, congee, jackfruit tacos, beetroot cutlets and a variety of vegetarian options.
“An item we came up with, it’s called wasabi prawns. It is kind of like prawn tempuras, but it has wasabi marinated inside. It is not very hot, but at the same time it has very strong flavors,” Lekha said. “Then we have an avocado salad that our chef did a wonderful job with–lots of nuts, avocados and lettuce.”
Cocktails and mocktails will be a key feature at Kha-Bar. Lekha said the team plans to spotlight whiskey, with a focus on Indian varieties. Signature drinks will include the White Peach Whiskey Sour and Pineapple Jalapeño Margarita, alongside refreshing mocktails like Pineapple Anise Lemonade and the Strawberry Hibiscus Cooler, Shikanji.
Kha-Bar is set in a “calm and natural” space with light colors and greenery.
“We have very high ceilings, so we want to keep that open feeling and have the feeling like you’re actually in a park while you’re in the restaurant,” Manash said. “The bar will have a slightly different feeling–it will have chandeliers.”
The Majhis are eager to bring their passion project and creativity to the neighborhood.
“It means everything for me. I’m excited about everything. I’m excited about the team we have. We have a good team of chefs. We have a good team of bartenders. I’m excited about the interior–how it is coming along. I’m excited about the location and want to see how it works for the fusion taste,” Lekha said.
Kha-Bar plans to debut in March. Stay tuned!
