Bengal Kitchen, located at 1415 N LaCrosse St, is a family-owned and exclusive ethnic eatery that opened on May 31, 2023, in Rapid City, South Dakota. The restaurant serves authentic Bangladeshi cuisine that shares the same spices from the Indian Subcontinent but with distinct delightful flavors and tastes. The restaurant is run by a couple who moved to the city to pursue higher education. Shemon Aktar Shezar (Shemon), the founder and owner, is doing her undergraduate in pre-professional health sciences at the School of Mines. Abu Md Numan-Al-Mobin (Numan), the co-founder, manages overall business operations. He previously worked as a Research Scientist III for several years after completing his M.S. Ph.D. at the School of Mines and before starting Bengal Kitchen.
The founders of Bengal Kitchen were inspired by their love for Bangladesh's rich and diverse cuisine. People urged them to open a restaurant as they introduced their friends to authentic Bangladeshi cooking. They wanted to share their passion for these authentic dishes with others and provide a space where people could come together to enjoy great food and good company.
The menu at Bengal Kitchen reflects the owners' love, tradition, and creativity. They use cherished family recipes and fresh, high-quality ingredients to create culinary masterpieces bursting with flavor.
Bengal Kitchen serves a diverse and unique selection of dishes that cater to different dietary preferences and tastes, including Halal, Vegetarian, Vegan, Dairy-free, and Gluten-Free options. Some menu items are very mild to make the dishes suitable for all, while others can be customized to be spicy and hot.
One of the highlights of their menu is the curry selection, which includes a rich and aromatic chicken coconut milk curry, a delectable vegetarian (Bengal Chickpea) curry, Shahi Chana Masala, Shahi chicken, beef, lamb, goat, vegetable, and paneer (homemade cottage cheese) Masala. All curries are served with Aromatic Basmati Rice and can be customized to be dairy-free and gluten-free, making them appropriate for everyone. In addition, fried flatbread is a popular side dish at Bengal Kitchen.
Another popular dish is Morog Pulao, made of chicken layered with aromatic basmati rice and garnished with almonds, raisins, and fried onion. Other signature dishes are Chicken, Beef, Lamb, Goat, and Mixed Vegetable Biryani, a fragrant and flavorful feast for the senses. Bengal Kitchen's pulao and biryani have a distinct flavor profile that differentiates them from traditional Indian biryani.
Guests can experience a refreshing taste of Bengal Kitchen's signature drinks. They offer rich and creamy Mango Lassi, aromatic Cardamom Milk Tea, or tangy Lemon Tea.
To end the meal on a sweet note, diners can indulge in the authentic Bangladeshi dessert Rashmalai and Rice Pudding. These creamy and sweet delicacy leaves a lasting impression.
Bengal Kitchen offers several options, such as online ordering for pickup. They also partnered with Uber Eats, DoorDash, GrubHub, and Food Dudes delivery. Customers can also contact the restaurant through email or social media to inquire about the menu, make reservations, or share their experiences.
The owners of Bengal Kitchen are passionate about cooking and love to share their recipes with people. They developed the menu based on the food they cooked and ate in their family's home, with a few twists to keep it authentic.
Overall, Bengal Kitchen is a must-visit destination for anyone who loves to try new and unique cuisines. Their diverse menu and dedication to quality and authenticity make them stand out among other restaurants in the area.
Here are some of the numerous highly-rated customer experience testimonials (Google Reviews):
Mary Haan said, "We had a fantastic and intimate dinner at Bengal Kitchen! We've meant to get there since they opened, and we're so glad we made it in! I had the chana daal, and my partner had the beef biryani. We split the piyaju to start, and we loved them! We both enjoyed the cardamom milk tea as well. We were SO impressed with the incredibly succulent beef in the biryani, the rich broth of the daal, and the hints of cinnamon and anise in the rice. We will be back for sure!"
Clint Leber said, "We tried the Chana Masala and Beef Biriyani and they were both incredible! I've never had Biriyani before so had to try it and it was delicious. The Chana was the best I think I've ever had, perfect amount of spicy!! Both dishes were plentiful as well."
Rich Allen said, "Had the lamb biriyani and it was very nicely spiced and uniquely flavored. I would go again in a heartbeat."