Last month, Ruchee Express popped up on the corner of West Main and North Morris in the fan. Aside from the allure of tasty Indian cuisine, the grand opening of the new restaurant comes with two important reasons to get excited: a great lunch special and (drum roll, please) delivery!

Shankar Puthran, owner of Ruchee Unique Indian Cuisine on Midlothian Turnpike, opened Ruchee Express on Jan. 12. Puthran is a 17-year veteran of the kitchen who says he wanted to bring his cuisine closer into the city to reach a new market.

The original Ruchee is located in the back corner of a small strip mall, arguably off the beaten path. Even so, the restaurant has pulled in a decent crowd for two years, mostly due to its reputation and word-of-mouth marketing, according to Puthran. At times, lunch is even a bit crowded at the Midlothian location, but the tucked-away locale is less than ideal for attracting new clientele.

Much more so than its big brother, Ruchee Express is literally positioned for success. Puthran secured an attractive corner lot within walking distance from several VCU buildings and with street parking on all sides. Before Ruchee Express, the location was home to Sweetpeas, followed by Fat Larry’s.

The bright yellow building with stark white trim and a burnt orange door is exciting and inviting, especially with a covetable, bay window table overlooking the action outside. At first impression, it fits in nicely with the Disney World look of West Main in the fan. Dare I say cute?

On the inside, Ruchee is small but cozy. There are only a handful of tables, and the dining area is nearly void of kitschy decorations. In fact, the décor conveys an environment conducive to grabbing a quick, comfortable bite or taking a meal to go.

Or, customers can finally have Indian food delivered. For orders of $15 or more, Ruchee Express will deliver within a five-mile radius of home base. Think about it: Get two or three friends to go in on lunch, and you don’t even have to leave the comforts of your room/office to enjoy fresh, hot tandoori, curry, chicken tikka, etc.

Another great mid-day meal option is the boxed lunch buffet. For $6.95, it comes with your choice of one meat or chicken dish, two vegetable dishes, rice pulao, raita (yogurt with cucumbers and tomatoes), salad and naan. All dishes are visible through a partially enclosed salad bar, so you can see what you’re getting before you order it. Plus, the staff will serve it up for you, which helps eliminate unidentified fingers from grazing the food before you get to it.

The buffet selections change often, so you can keep coming back for the lunch special and enjoy something new. If Ruchee Express’s lunch buffet is like the original Ruchee’s, it will rarely, if ever, offer lamb or seafood dishes. But you can always order off of the regular menu, which has all the traditional favorites.

Be sure to try a lychee juice, mango lassi or Thumbs Up bottled soda to round out your authentic Indian dining experience, and don’t forget to include an order of any of the breads, freshly baked in a clay oven.

Whether you take it with you, eat it there or have it delivered, Ruchee Express is a good deal in a great location.

Hours: Monday - Thursday 11am-9am • Friday and Saturday 11am to 10pm • Sunday Closed

Ruchee Express | 1201 W. Main St. | Richmond | 804.354.6011