Walia is not the only restaurateur to distance himself (willingly or not) from the world of fine dining after high-end restaurants struggled heavily during the pandemic: Baumé forfeited two Michelin stars in order to launch as the more relaxed Bistronomie by Baumé. But on June 7, Rasa’s downtown Burlingame space reopened as Saffron Burlingame, inheriting its predecessor’s focus on South Indian cuisine and even some of its dishes, but eschewing the meticulous standards associated with Michelin stars, which even assess how ingredients are sourced. It also provides a more casual experience compared to Rasa’s sleek black interior and chutney prawns neatly plated in a row alongside swirls of cucumbers topped with edible flowers.

The original Saffron in San Carlos has been in operation for nearly 20 years and has always focused more heavily on North Indian cuisine, which includes some of the best-known Indian dishes here in the United States like buttery naan and the creamy lentils of dal makhani. So why did Walia close down Rasa to reopen it as a second location of his more casual restaurant, Saffron? He wanted guests to forget images of steam-table buffets, and winning a Michelin star at his South Indian Burlingame restaurant Rasa in 2016 should have authoritatively proven his success. Twenty years ago, Ajay Walia left the lucrative worlds of finance and tech to open a restaurant and spread awareness of the diversity of Indian cuisine. Ajay Walia on his reasons for pivoting to a more casual concept and the ‘uphill battle for ethnic cuisine.’ The second location of the more casual San Carlos eatery, Saffron Burlingame has a different menu that focuses on the cuisines of South India.

Rasa burlingame