Aagman Restaurant arrives with eclectic Indian cuisine : – President samples delectable delicacies as he celebrates 63rd birthday
Written By Alex Wayne WITH much pomp and fanfare the elegant Aagman Restaurant officially opened its doors to the general public on Tuesday evening, offering some of the most eclectic Indian cuisine ever available here. The lavish restaurant which is located at Lot 28- A, (Top Floor), Sheriff Street, Georgetown, has been marketing its exquisite products and services to the public for the past four months, but hosted their official opening ceremony on Tuesday.
President Ramotar enjoys a tasty chunk of chocolate cake fed to him by First Lady Deolatchmee Ramotar as he celebrates his 63rd birthday at Aagman Restaurant. Looking on from left is wife of the Indian High Commissioner to Guyana, Mrs. Mohini Meena, Indian High Commissioner Mr. Puran Mal Meena, Mrs. Neha Asthana Meena and husband, Dr. Raj Rishi Meena.
And to top things off, the entity extended their elite services to His Excellency, President Donald Ramotar, First Lady Deolatchmee Ramotar and their immediate relatives since he was celebrating his 63rd birthday. Management at the restaurant hosted a very impressive and cozy affair for the president, which saw him receiving best wishes from close associates and family members and of course from members of his Cabinet. Attending the event also were Foreign Affairs Minister Carolyn Rodrigues; Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee; Minister of Education Priya Manickchand; Minister of Agriculture Dr Leslie Ramsammy; Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh, and other special invitees. After good wishes and the singing of the customary ‘happy birthday song’, President Ramotar proceeded to cut into the lavish chocolate and cream cake that was prepared in his honour, and shared a quick kiss with his wife, much to the delight of those in attendance. Then it was time to sample the ‘mouth-watering cuisine’, and there were signs of appreciation all around as those present “dug into” specials such as Chicken Chakori and Chicken Sholay Kebabs, Cream of Chicken, Mutton and FishTawa, and an attractive garden salad made of crisp lettuce, spinach, cucumber, tomatoes, onion and carrot created in a picturesque setting. The desserts were magnificent, especially the mouth-watering Ksearia Gulab Jamun, Gagar Ka Halwa (seasonal), and the Doodhi Halwa. There were several other vegetarian and meat dishes that were certainly ‘must haves’ judged from the taste and flavour.
First Lady Deolatchmee Ramotar cuts the ribbon to officially declare open the Aagman Restaurant, as other well wishers look on.
Speaking briefly at the opening ceremony, President Ramotar expressed his pleasure at the gesture in his honour, noting that the opening of the restaurant offers Guyanese even greater variety in Indian cuisine and excellent service. He highly commended the taste and flavours of the dishes, noting that Aagman Restaurant is an exciting and positive new addition to Guyana’s food industry. He said the relatively new restaurant would certainly meet the demands of both locals and visiting tourists looking for a “diverse taste”. In a brief comment, Indian High Commissioner to Guyana, Puran Mal Meena applauded the new initiative, and noted that the food is authentic, bringing true meaning to ‘Indian Cuisine’ in Guyana. Proprietor, Dr. Raj Rishi Meena, was very excited that President Ramotar had chosen to enjoy some of his birthday festivities at the restaurant. He explained that it was actually President Ramotar who had inspired him not so long ago to embark on such a venture after he introduced him to the Guyanese culture.
Education Minister Priya Manickchand (left) shares a light moment with President Ramotar and close relatives.
He explained that some US$1M was invested in making the restaurant a reality, noting that most of the functional equipment were imported from India. At the Aagman Restaurant there are 12 very efficient kitchen staff, all originally from India, but a percentage of the staff is also Guyanese. Dr. Meena noted that the restaurant is one with a difference in that the food is authentic in every sense of the word. He said that despite the fact the Indian cuisine is customarily spicy, the ‘spiciness’ can be modulated to suit the desired preference of customers’ tastes. At the Aagman Restaurant, all spices for cooking are imported directly from India. However, daily ‘veggies’ and other perishable items are purchased fresh from esteemed locations and wholesalers around Guyana. At this restaurant, customer satisfaction is of essential importance, and the proprietors noted that they maintain excellent service and high standards at all times to ensure their customers always return after the first visit.
