New Indian restaurant opens in Tri-Cities. Also, candy ‘snow’ cone cart and other openings
The doors are opening this weekend to Maharaja Taste of India at the former Famous Dave’s behind Columbia Center mall in Kennewick.
The owners of Walla Walla Indian Cuisine have brought their Indian food to Tri-Cities and are taking reservations.
Along with a full menu, a buffet will be offered with employees dishing up customer selections — no self-service will be allowed. Guests can dine at their limited patio seating but no indoor dining will be offered yet.
Appetizer menu selections include a large number of vegetarian options such as samosas, pakora and kathi rolls.
Among meal choices you will find traditional kebab (meat and vegetables on a stick), tandoori chicken (cooked in a clay oven) and the rice dish biryani, as well as lamb, goat and chicken dishes. And Maharaja has nearly a dozen naan flavors.
Vegan, gluten-free and dairy-free items also are available.
A full cocktail menu has selections such as a Hansini with vodka, lime and mint and a Lal Parinda and Lal Jal — both with fruit juice. A wine and spirits list has many choices as well.
The restaurant at 8110 W. Gage Blvd will be open daily 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Reservations can by made by calling 509-713-1313 or by emailing res@maharajatasteofindia.com.
▪ Candy Cones Washington doesn’t serve your average “snow” cones. These flavored shave ice treats are covered with candy and has a friendly elf as the food truck’s mascot.
The cart opened at 11 S. Rainier St. in Kennewick and promotes “Christmas Cheer All Year.”
Options include specials such as a Feliz Navidad with chamoy and Tajin, a Candy Cane Forest with whipped cream and mint candies, a Cotton Headed Nini Muggins covered with Skittles, gummi worms, cotton candy and gummi tape and a lemon-lime dotted with tiny candies labeled as Yetti Pee.
Among other flavor choices are watermelon, apple and bubble gum with toppings such as marshmallows, sweet cereals, bubble gum and other candies.
The cart also serves coffee products to warm up or cool down with Lavazza coffee from Italy.
Candy Cones Washington is open 1 to 8 p.m. Monday to Saturday but it closes at 6 p.m. Wednesdays.
Clore Center tasting room closes
The Walter Clore Wine and Culinary Center, 2140A Wine Country Road in Prosser, has closed its tasting room.
The wine education and showcase facility closed the tasting room temporarily starting Aug. 30, and moved the focus on events and facility rentals because of the continuation of the coronavirus pandemic.
The Clore Center opened its 2,400-square-foot outdoor facility in 2011 and followed with the 15,000-square-foot main building that opened to the public in 2014.
The center currently can be rented for events and essential meetings such as job interviews, and said it can accommodate social distancing. It is not booking current social activities such as weddings but still is accepting reservations for next year.
The center can also be rented for private tasting classes by emailing Executive Direct Deb J. Carter at deb@theclorecenter.org and all safety COVID safety guidelines will be followed.
Other pending openings:
▪ Todd’s Treats LLC cottage bakery is in the works as soon as final touches come through on licensing. Todd Eller-Sluss relocated from St. Louis last year and is in the process of reopening his line of biscodtti, cookies and holidays cakes. Menu items will include anise and almond biscotti, a specialty cookie with cornflakes and dark chocolate glace orange peels.
▪ Whatcha Waiting Pho will serve up authentic Loatian food when owner Sypat Syaphay finds a permanent place to park her new food truck. Among dishes will be pho — a noodle soup, chicken larb with pepper flakes that is made with goolanga rice and traditional Loatian jerky — meat that is dried and flash fried and served with sticky or steamed rice.
▪ Butter and Chocolate is set to open this fall. Pasco native Santos Garcia Jr. relocated back home to Tri-Cities after spending 25 years in Los Angeles working in the catering business. Cookie flavors will include cappuccino chocolate chip, a Trooper made with butterscotch, chocolate, oats, puffed rice and cornflakes, white chocolate cranberry and favorites like a snickerdoodles and sugar cookies.
If you know of a retailer, restaurant, coffee shop or other business that is opening, closing, expanding, remodeling or changing its focus, send an email to reporter Allison Stormo at astormo@tricityherald.com.
This story was originally published September 2, 2020 at 12:58 PM.