Small Business Spotlight: Spice & Tonic

Article by Becky Fillinger

Shan CheemaLooking for a new spot for some comfort food in the Mill District?  Check out Spice & Tonic, Indian Cuisine & Bar located at 903 S. Washington Avenue. The curries, biryanis and other delicacies will take away the sting of below zero temperatures. I sat down with Shan Cheema, Operations Manager of the brand new Northern Indian restaurant to talk about the family business. 

Q:  Congratulations on your December 15 opening! This is not the first family restaurant, right?

A:  That’s correct. My father, Joginder Cheema, started us on that path in 1993 when he opened the Taste of India in Woodbury. The next was the Taste of India in St. Louis Park. We’ve operated Indian restaurants all over the metro area – Wayzata, St. Paul, Maple Grove, Eden Prairie, etc. My father has also trained most of the Indian cooks in the region. He officially ‘retired’ in 2018, but he has been a hands-on driving force in launching our Mill District location. 

Joginder CheemaQ:  Is this the first location in Minneapolis? What made the Mill District attractive as a new location? 

A:  That’s right – this is the first in Minneapolis. We feel incredibly lucky to have our new location. We are sandwiched in between two iconic entertainment venues – the Guthrie Theater and U.S. Bank Stadium. There aren’t many Indian restaurants nearby. Also, the area is home to thousands of residents – just look at the lofts, condos and apartments. We are ready to serve diners coming to the city for a show or game, or local residents looking for a great neighborhood place to eat. 

Q:  What’s your history with the family business?

A:  I had a corporate job in downtown Minneapolis for three years at SPS Commerce. I realized that what I really enjoyed doing was working in the family business. I took what I had learned about business from the corporate world and am bringing that to help run our business. This has been very fulfilling to me and will be helpful to the business as well.

Q:  What’s one dish - perhaps overlooked - that you wish your customers will try from the menu? 

A:  That would be Lamb Shai Korma - we use our freshly made curry-based sauce and add a touch of cream to really bring out the curry flavor. It has paneer, which is our Indian cheese, and is garnished with cashews and raisins! I can say that it is easily the best dish on the menu!

Lamb Shai Korma

Lamb palak, chicken makhani and garlic naan

Q:  What do you want to tell our readers about the cuisine you’ll offer? 

A:  We cook fresh food daily. We make all of our sauces. We are a Northern Indian restaurant with a variety of options from samosas, tikka masalas, biryanis and lots of naan bread. Garlic naan has for sure been the biggest hit so far! The visitors from the neighborhood have been so welcoming – we couldn’t be happier.

Q:  How may we follow your news?

A:  Social media is the easiest way:  Instagram, Facebook and our website.