two fell swoops

A few months ago, we noticed a new restaurant going in where a short-lived Indian restaurant was on North Main.  I can’t remember what it was before then, but it’s one of those locations where nothing seems to stick.

The first thing we noticed was the name on the signage out front: “Seajoy’s”.  We thought maybe it was going to be a seafood restaurant.  But from what we could see, they hadn’t yet changed any of the interior sub-continental décor.

A week later, Andrea report seeing the following four items listed under the name on the signage, each with a corresponding sign-size picture, in this order:

1. Coffee
2. Fudge
3. Tasty Dosas
4. Juicy Burgers

Now we were puzzled.  I wondered if Andrea had seen the sign right.  What kind of restaurant offers those four things?  And what kind of Indian restaurant, if that’s what it was to remain, offers – or advertises that they offer – “juicy burgers”?!  Despite our puzzlement, we resolved to go there once they opened and order exactly those four items.

But when we finally got around to going, the sign out front had the following four items listed and pictured in the same prominent place out front:

1. Wraps
2. Lassi
3. Tasty Dosas
4. Biryani

It was an Indian restaurant after all.  (The name comes from owner Shijoy’s name.) They did indeed serve dosas; my “Seajoy’s Special” dosa was excellent.  But juicy burgers and fudge were nowhere to be found on the menu.  So before we left, I asked our waitress.

It turns out Seajoy’s was originally planned as a different kind of restaurant, one that served Indian as well as American and other dishes.  Hence the confusing signage, which actually did exist for a few days before they decided to go all-Indian and changed it.  And go all-Indian they did; Seajoy’s has a good variety of Indian dishes - North, South, Indo-Chinese, you name it.  Everything we’ve tried the handful of times we’ve gone has been good, and our friend visiting from India (who got to fulfill his lifelong dream of eating a cheese dosa) was impressed by the variety.

What I like best is the mom-and-pop feel of the place.  Shijoy and his crew can be seen bustling around the restaurant trying to keep people happy and get the business to stick where none do.  One time I overheard one of them say to another as they hurried off in opposite directions: “”Focus.”  That makes me want the place to succeed.  That and the really good food.

But I’m sad we didn’t get to order coffee, fudge, tasty dosas, and juicy burgers.  And I’m sorry for doubting you, Andrea.