Diya Rajbhandari and husband Suman Pradhan lived in Frederick for eight years, during which they opened Delhi-6 Indian Cuisine on Buckeystown Pike. After moving to Bethesda and opening another restaurant two years ago, the couple is now back in Frederick County and opened a new takeout restaurant in Walkersville: Indian Wok.
Rajbhandari said the idea behind Indian Wok was to provide takeout service that was affordable for families and used fresh ingredients. In order to ensure lower prices, the owners lowered their overhead by renting a small spot in Walkersville and keeping their menu focused.
In addition to classic Indian dishes like chicken tikka masala and samosas, Indian Wok also offers Indo-Chinese food, which Rajbhandari said combines Indian fare with Chinese flavors.
“We have appetizers like sesame cauliflower, sesame chicken, which I think our guests think is very unique and different,” Rajbhandari said.
The restaurant also offers a Nepalese dish called momo — a dumpling-style offering — as well as a variety of fried rice and noodle dishes.
Rajbhandari said another popular option is Indian Wok’s family special, which offers a vegetarian entree, a meat entree, five spring rolls, two boxes of rice and two plain naans for $20.99.
“I think [customers] really think this is a great deal with a great price and food, so we’ve been really selling this family deal special a lot,” Rajbhandari said.
While Pradhan is the head chef, he still works in Bethesda most days, leaving Chef William Costa in charge of the kitchen. Costa has worked with the couple for years, including when they owned Delhi 6.
Indian Wok opened in October and has developed a loyal following since then, said the owners.
Rajbhandari and Pradhan want everyone to enjoy Indian Wok, even during an expressly hard time with the COVID-19 pandemic. They hope customers can feel safe in a takeout and delivery-only environment.
“That’s how we look at the situation with COVID … it’s hard for everybody,” Rajbhandari said. “That’s why we have all these family deals, so we can feed everyone with a great price, with great food. That is our main concept. “
Open for Business is an occasional feature highlighting new businesses around Frederick County. Contact Erika Riley at [email protected].
Correction: In an earlier version of this story, the photo cutline incorrectly said the restaurateurs were holding a pork dish. The restaurant does not serve pork.
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