When Rasa first opened, many questioned whether it was just a restaurant for Indian Americans, Rahman said. But many of their customers are people who had never tried Indian food before and are becoming regulars.

“We want Rasa to be a place where when you walk in, you feel happier,” Rahman said. “There’s beautiful colors, there are fragrant smells, there’s all of this excitement and joy we want to convey through our food and through our spaces. When people come in, we want them to feel welcome and we want them to feel curious.”

Food, Rahman said, is the ultimate gateway to culture.

“It’s much easier to try an $11 bowl at Rasa than it is to spend 11 days in India,” he said.