Casually Chinese

Noodle House is a Jumeirah brand, owned by the Dubai royals. It comes to India as The Tasty Tangles. Anoothi Vishal speaks to Roger Narula, CEO, Wadhawan Hospitality, the company that has brought the brand to India.

Why have you called Noodle House (a concept of the Taste Department Restaurants owned by the Jumeirah Group) “The Tasty Tangles” in India?
The brand name already existed in India. The necessary trademark process is in progress and for the interim period we are doing business as The Tasty Tangles.

How will this one be different from other Chinese restaurants — or even Chinese “fast food”?
If you’ve seen our outlets in Bangalore and New Delhi, you’ll realise the concept is very different. It is informal dining, with a communal, cheery atmosphere, serving South-east Asian food inspired from the streets of Hong Kong, Bangkok, Jakarta et cetera. Diners tick off their choices on the menu and give these to the service staff, but it is not what you would call “fast food”. Care is taken to standardise the food. For instance, sauces at our restaurants across the world come from one vendor.

What are your plans for the brand?
Over the next four years, Wadhawan Hospitality will be well established in the major metros with brands such as Aurus, a luxury concept looking at fusion food, Sanchos, a Mexican chain, Cinnabon, with classic cinnamon rolls and baked goods, Nasta Chai, serving fast-moving food at value catering, and a pioneering “Central Kitchen”, a facility that can prepare 10,000 meals per shift. The facility is a show piece of technology and operational efficiency with nutritionists, microbiologists and dieticians supervising. Multiple restaurant brands catering international cuisine will be serviced by this. As for Tasty Tangles, we have two in India at the moment, one in Bangalore, the other at the MGF Mall in Delhi. This year, we will do two more in Mumbai and Delhi each. We have a commitment to do 35, pan-India.

How much will each unit cost?
Between Rs 4-6 crore.

But is this the right time to invest?
We are on track. It’s a great time to invest because there are renegotiations and lower rentals. People are also willing to get into revenue share formats now. Besides, there is a flood of equipment in the market right now at much lower cost. The cost of investing is down by 20 per cent. It makes sense to start a chain now and bulk up next year.