Rumali Adds to Irving's Vibrant Indian Food Scene

Irving’s bustling Indian food scene has a fresh addition with the opening of Rumali, an Indian-fusion concept brought to life by self-taught chef Sunil Puri. The new spot sits in the same strip mall as Puri’s India 101 and 101 Paratha, both known for their menus with just over 100 traditional Indian dishes. While Rumali doesn’t boast the same 101 options (it has 52; we counted), that — along with the scents of Indian spices that linger outside the storefront — was enough to beckon us through the door.

The opening of Rumali marks something new in the area.

“We were really searching for a type of food that you can’t already experience in Dallas,” Puri tells us. “We spent more than 10 months developing these recipes. I was in the kitchen every day, experimenting with new spices, ingredients and recipes. Now that we’re finally done, we’re excited to have Dallas try a new type of Indian food.”
As the sign at the front will tell you, Rumali’s specialties are kebabs and rotis. The recipes are apparently typical of the Indian city of Lucknow, where, according to Puri, streetsides are filled with carts that sell these Indian delicacies.

“We wanted to bring that authenticity here, to Dallas,” Puri says. “We source everything, our recipes, our ingredients, and even our chefs, straight from India.”

The dining room at Rumali is dimly lit, decorated with colorful light globes and Indian trinkets. The place leans toward fine dining despite being tucked away in an Irving shopping complex.
As you peruse the menu, enjoy a couple of rolls of Indian papadum, a crunchy Indian lentil-based snack that’s brought to your table almost immediately. The complimentary starter is accompanied by a side of green coconut chutney and sets the stage well for the kebab menu, which is stacked with nearly 20 different options.

Experiment with a dahi ka kebab, a plate of spiced and fried patties made of Indian yogurt curd. This is a perfect prelude to the slightly heartier murg sala kebab, which is skewered chicken that has been soaked in a brown onion, yogurt and garlic marinade before being baked in the tandoor. Pair any of the kebabs with a vibrant tray of vegetable- and yogurt-based dips.

For indecisive diners, Rumali offers a $30 sampler platter, which comes sectioned into quadrants of different chef favorites (see photo at top). It’s a royally plated spread of different tandoor-baked kebabs and dips, finished with lemon wedges and thinly sliced onions.

“In my language, we would call this a kebab factory,” Puri tells us. “Just about anything you can think of, we’ve probably put it into a kebab.”
Another highlight of Rumali’s menu is the tandoor-baked rumali rotis, a North Indian delicacy we’ve yet to see in Dallas. In fact, Rumali might be one of the few places in North Texas serving rumali rotis, which are kneaded fresh and baked in the tandoor right before being served. You can try these large rotis rolled with a zesty blend of corn and mushroom or dipped into a steel pot of creamy chicken curry.

Other unique offerings include flaky paratha pastries, a variety of drinks and lassies and a white-chocolate kulfi dessert that makes for a sweet end to the meal.

“I started all of my restaurants because of the same reason: an uncovered passion for food,” Puri says. “And when you try the flavors, you’ll understand. Food is really a thing to bond people. I love being able to see people of different nationalities, ethnicities and walks of life come in and enjoy our Indian food. It’s really a beautiful thing.”

Rumali, 3311 Regent Blvd., Irving. Monday – Thursday, 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. and 5:30–9:30 p.m.; Friday, 11 a.m. – 2 p.,m. and 6–10 p.m.; Saturday – Sunday, noon – 3 p.m. and 6–10 p.m.