New Indian Restaurant in Walker’s Point
Ruta's, formerly at Crossroads Collective, now has standalone restaurant with same vibrant menu.
Site of Ruta’s Fresh Indian Fare, 207 W. Freshwater Way. Photo taken June 28, 2023 by Sophie Bolich.
A new lunch and dinner destination is now open in Walker’s Point, offering fresh, and flavorful Indian cuisine in a fast-casual format.
Ruta’s Fresh Indian Fare, which previously operated at Crossroads Collective, debuted its new digs — and first standalone location — on June 20 at 207 W. Freshwater Way., between Purple Door Ice Cream and Float Milwaukee.
Since announcing the restaurant in March, owner Ruta Kahate has transformed the space, formerly the site of Bowls To Go, to better reflect the Ruta’s ambience.
The reimagined interior features light yellow paint, tropical greenery and a handful of two-top tables, as well as a cozy window nook. On one wall, larger-than-life aromatics including chilis, ginger, star anise and cinnamon sticks are outlined in white paint, creating a minimalist mural.
A hint of Ruta’s predecessor remains, however, in the new restaurant’s build-your-own-bowl model. For each meal, customers can choose rice, salad, quinoa or grilled naan as a base, then add a protein such as roast chicken, turmeric tofu, Goa pork roast or spiced chickpeas.
Flavorful sauces include creamy tikka, fragrant coconut, savory pork, spicy mirchi and tomato masala. Bowls are then finished with vegetable toppings to add color, flavor and crunch. Options include corn with red pepper, mustard beets, turmeric carrots, pickled red onion, chaat potatoes, kale slaw, coconut slaw and rainbow salad.
Sauces are served on the side and can either kick up the spice level (kali sauce or fresh green chutney), or cool things down (yogurt raita).
Additional sides include naan, cheesy naan and tomato-coconut soup. There’s also desserts and an assortment of housemade beverages such as rose lassi, pineapple ginger lassi and iced teas.
The new restaurant has received a warm welcome from the neighborhood, and is sure to become a regular stop for employees of nearby businesses — as evidenced by one customer’s promise during the Wednesday lunch rush.
“I work right down the street,” she said after receiving her bowl. “I’ll definitely be back.”
Ruta’s is open Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Photos
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