For Chef Mohan, food is not only about tradition but also about creativity, risk, and connection. When someone walks into Dosti Indian Bar and Grill, he does not want it to feel like a typical Indian restaurant with a predictable menu. Instead, he imagines guests stepping into a space filled with bright colors, bold flavors, and dishes they may not expect. At Dosti, food is meant to feel exciting while still holding onto a sense of familiarity.
Chef Mohan is originally from Andhra Pradesh, specifically Visakhapatnam in southern India. His passion for food began early, when his family ran restaurants in Goa. “That’s where my passion for food started,” he explains. Later, he came to the United States to pursue a master’s degree. Although he now works as an IT engineer, cooking has always remained more than just a side interest. “More of a passion,” he says. That passion first took shape through a food truck before eventually growing into a full restaurant.
After moving to the United States, one of the things Chef Mohan missed most was home cooking. “My mom’s food,” he says simply. He remembers calling his mother for recipes and trying to recreate her dishes, only to realize that “it never used to come as the same.” That gap between memory and reality pushed him to experiment more deeply in the kitchen, searching for ways to bring the flavors of home into his own cooking.
Opening Dosti did not follow a strict or carefully planned path. “We didn’t plan much. We just wanted to try it out,” Chef Mohan explains. Rather than working with family, he built the restaurant alongside friends, relying on collaboration and shared effort. That spirit is reflected in the restaurant’s name itself. “Dosti means friendship back in India,” he says, emphasizing that the restaurant grew out of a group of friends working together.
The menu at Dosti reflects Chef Mohan’s desire to move beyond what he calls a “typical” Indian restaurant. He explains that many restaurants offer nearly identical menus, so Dosti focuses on introducing ingredients and dishes from different regions of India. Items like lotus stem, raw banana kebabs, pumpkin appetizers, quail, and black chicken stand out. One dish in particular, black magic chicken, has become one of the restaurant’s best sellers. “We are the first restaurant in the U.S. actually to have that item on our menu,” he says.
For Chef Mohan, growth matters as much as consistency. He believes in listening closely to customers and improving constantly. “I personally talk to most of the customers,” he explains, asking about taste, presentation, and service, then adjusting based on feedback. Through passion, experimentation, and respect for tradition, Dosti Indian Bar and Grill has become more than a restaurant. It is a place where food brings people together through culture, creativity, and a shared sense of home.
Chef Mohan’s story reflects the heart of Restaurant Voices, showing how immigrant-owned restaurants become spaces where tradition and creativity meet through experimentation and shared community.
