Little Italy, an India-based restaurant chain that specializes in vegetarian Italian cuisine, opened its second international franchise in Kathmandu on Tuesday, adding its name to the league table of Italian eateries that is dominated by players like La Dolce Vita, Fire & Ice, Roadhouse Café and Ciao Ciao.[break]
Many have taken entry of Little Italy - which has presence in 15 major Indian cities and Dubai - as a sign of growing foreign interest in Nepali food market, which, like other sectors, is gripped with host of problems ranging from labor disputes to power shortage.
“We are aware of problems in the country, but since it is quite an attractive market with a significant number of food enthusiasts, we believe we can (create a win-win situation) for both the management and team of employees,” Raj Mehta, CMD of Little Italy group of restaurants, told the media on Tuesday.
Located at Capitol Complex in Durbar Marg, Little Italy was introduced in Nepal by Food Junction, a joint venture between Murarka Group and SHTC International. The venture, which has created 40 jobs at the moment, has attracted an investment of Rs 40 million so far.
In return for injecting the funds, Little Italy group of restaurants has agreed to train staff members at the Nepal unit and transfer skills on food preparation, Amit Agarwal, managing director of Food Junction, told Republica. “And if the first outlet gets good response, we will soon be expanding to places like Jhamsikhel, Pokhara and Dharan.”
Little Italy claims its success is based on “serving value for money, well-prepared Italian food, executed with explicitness and taste, and a consistency in serving quality food with flair, care and attention.”
At the 120-seater restaurant you can check out its signature ´Wood Burn´ pizzas and a selection of pastas with combinations of textures and flavors. “These cuisines are prepared using ingredients imported directly from Italy,” Mehta said.
The beverage menu is also extensive with labels that are amongst the best in Italy and around the world, Agarwal informed, adding, the premise is also ideal for all corporate and social functions.
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