Nearly three years after Beauty Plus closed its doors at 365 George Street, Jasmine’s Modern Indian Fusion is set to fill its vacant spot in downtown New Brunswick.
Izabel Pal, the new restaurant owner, said the concept for the establishment was inspired by her family. While she has a Polish background and her husband comes from Punjabi heritage, the restaurant is named after their daughter, Jasmine.
“It’s basically combining both worlds, West and East, in the most elevated way,” she said. “It’s a fusion of two different worlds.”
Despite construction-related delays, planning for the restaurant’s arrival quickly began over the summer, approximately five months ago.
Throughout the process, Pal made it a priority to uphold the building’s structural integrity to mimic that of others in the area, while transforming the interior to match her personal vision for the newly imagined space.
“What was the most important element of…construction was to preserve the authentic look of the whole building,” she said.
Jasmine’s bright green exterior, neon lighting and modern renovations overlook the “heart of the city”, and it is set to welcome customers later this month.
The anticipated opening hours include 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. on weekdays and 11 a.m. to midnight on weekends, during which customers can peruse items from an all day, brunch or lunch takeout menu.
“I think there is a big Indian community in New Brunswick that would like to enjoy their authentic flavor,” said Pal.
The menu features an assortment of vegan, vegetarian and halal options. By combining traditional flavors with farm-sourced ingredients, Jasmine’s offers a medley of unique dishes like chicken tikka tacos, rasmalai french toast and gulab jamun pancakes.
For beverages, Pal wanted to create a lineup that was just as inclusive and inviting. There will be different types of coffee, a live chai bar that can serve up to four people per kettle and mocktails like a pineapple mojito or dragon fruit martini, she said.
“It’s made right in front of you, right to the order,” she said. “Our actual coffee beans are sourced from India…all our meat is organic and farm-sourced.”
While Pal recognizes the predominantly Western flavors of the restaurant, she said the restaurant’s location of being embedded in downtown New Brunswick and surrounded by a large school like Rutgers poses an opportunity to build a diverse customer base.
She hopes students of the University will host late-night performances on Fridays and Saturdays to enhance Jasmine’s ambiance, especially when people from the city’s medical centers, schools and offices visit after a work day.
“New Brunswick, to me, is like a melting pot of different cultures, different ages, of race, people from all over the world,” Pal said. “I personally love the place…and restaurants like this (are) a great platform for a local community to shine.”
In the coming weeks, Pal said she will be coordinating final touches to the building, reaching out to interested performers and expanding the number of staff.
While Jasmine’s is a small, family-owned business, she aspires every customer to have an experience marked by flavor, service and affordability. Even with the abundant selection of halal eateries in New Brunswick, she thinks Jasmine’s will bring a new pulse to the heart of the city.
“I can’t wait to see people coming and enjoying every moment of it,” said Pal. “That, to me, is the biggest happiness I can ever get.”