WESTLAKE, Ohio — Choolaah, a trailblazer in the fast-casual Indian dining scene, has just opened its third Cleveland location in Westlake, and is celebrating with 30 days of fundraising for the community in addition to its year-round donation program.
"We're incredibly excited to open our third Choolaah location in Cleveland with the opening in Westlake," Raji Sankar, co-CEO of Choolaah, said. "Having seen firsthand the warm embrace of the communities in Cleveland, we're eager to further expand Choolaah's presence in the market and bring authentic flavors to Westlake. To celebrate our new restaurant, we are giving back to the Cleveland community by partnering with 30 local organizations during the first 30 days in business as well as a variety of giveaway and exciting offers on grand opening day."
The 30-day fundraising initiative is in addition to the Choolaah Gives program, put in place by founders Sankar and Randhir Sethi. This all-year initiative offers charities to apply for a designated day where every guest who opts in while ordering in store or online at choolaah.com can have Choolaah donate 30% of their purchase proceeds to that cause.
"Choolaah is committed to being an impactful member of the communities they serve through their fundraising initiative Choolaah Gives," Choolaah's Senior Operations Manager LeeAnna Flannery told 3News. "With ways to participate in-store and online, it’s a tasty and accessible way to support and 30% of eligible orders go back to the cause. Interested non-profits and school organizations can visit choolaahgives.com to schedule a fundraiser today!"
Choolaah was born out of the desire to introduce the American public to authentic, accessible, homestyle Indian cuisine. Its menu offers a fresh and healthy take on ancient tandoor cooking methods and an authentic approach to Indian food, with handcrafted dishes including the fresh-baked naan prepared in a custom-built tandoor clay oven within the open kitchen.
The menu features flavorful and customizable bowls that are served with a choice of premium sourced protein and topped with one of the brand's curated masalas or daals, allowing guests to shape their perfect dining experience. Other items include a variety of wraps and street food like samosa chaat and pav bhaji.
Recipes use house-made proprietary ground spice blends that not only taste good, but have been revered for centuries in India. Guests looking to spice up their dishes can choose from three available hot sauces: "Whoa," "Ouch" or "OMG." There are abundant meatatarian, vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-friendly options, as well.
With a goal to serve the communities Choolaah serves, the new Westlake restaurant is also committed to local job creation, its team members' personal and professional growth, and providing a family culture with benefits. The company works with team members to create development plans and offers flexible schedules, tips and bonuses, free meals on every shift, health insurance, paid time off, an appreciation program, and more.
The Westlake restaurant is located at 2207 Crocker Road, offering dine-in, delivery, and takeout options including a drive-thru window. The new location will be open seven days a week from 10:45 a.m.-9 p.m.
Currently, the fast-casual Indian chain concept has seven locations across three states — Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Virginia, with plans to grow across various regions of the U.S. Other restaurants in Greater Cleveland include one on West 25th Street in Ohio City and another in Beachwood.
To learn more about Choolaah and the Westlake location, visit choolaah.com or call (440) 414-3608.