by Tanya Henry
“I like to give—it’s good for the karma,” says the man who has been feeding Marin residents his northern Punjabi-style Indian cuisine since 1998. Novato resident and restaurateur Surinder “Pal” Sroa currently oversees three restaurants and a store in the North Bay and has a couple more in the works in Hercules and San Francisco.
For many folks who live in Fairfax, Café Lotus is the go-to spot for tasty chicken tikka masala, vindaloo, tandoori and piping hot naan. Their mango lassis are kid-pleasers, and the Navarro wines by the glass are popular with parents. A regular at this tiny spot ever since it opened more than seven years ago, I’ve watched the owners progressively incorporate organic ingredients, offer gluten-free items and bring in biodynamically farmed wines.
“We are going in a different direction,” explains Sroa, who says that his wife Linda of 33 years has long encouraged him to serve organic and sustainably sourced food. Getting green-certified was a recent achievement for Sroa, and perhaps most important of all is his commitment to the community. “We work with the organization ExtraFood.org and I don’t give them my leftovers—they get the best we have just like everyone else,” says Sroa, who has worked with the Novato School District to provide school lunches, and frequently donates food where it is needed.
While Sroa is from the northern Punjab region of India, his Lotus Chaat & Spices (café and store) offers southern Indian dishes that include dosa and bowls of sambar. The flavors are different here—lighter and tangier than at Café Lotus, and lentils and chopped onions appear in most dishes. The open space has more than 15 tables and a large outdoor eating area. Shelves of dried imported Indian spices and frozen pre-made meals fill the aisles.
Sroa credits his family with much of their success. His son manages the Fairfax café, while his nephew Amba has worked at the flagship restaurant, Lotus Cuisine of India on Fourth Street in San Rafael, since it opened in 1998. “My son Jyoti is my biggest competition,” Sroa jokes.
Sroa makes the rounds between all of the restaurants, but is currently spending much of his time in San Francisco—he hopes to open his next café at 20th and Mission streets this year. Though Café Lotus in Fairfax is my personal favorite, Sroa, with his delicious food, mindful practices and strong commitment to giving back, succeeds in nourishing his customers and community wherever he goes.
Café Lotus, 1912 Sir Francis Drake Blvd., Fairfax. Learn more at cafelotusfairfax.com.
