You may or may not have heard about OM, the new project from restaurateur Randy Norman (also involved in the Capital Grille, Bellanotte, r. Norman's, which is now Seven the Steakhouse, and Seven Sushi). It's an Indian restaurant Norman is creating in partnership with Uppal Enterprises that will feature the culinary talents of Raghvan Iyer, award-winning culinary instructor, author and co-founder of the Minneapolis-based Asian Culinary Arts Institutes. (P.S. I'm filing ACAI under: Supercool Things We Have In Minneapolis That I Never Even Knew About!)
The restaurant isn't opening until late May or early June, according to Jeremy Iggers' informative chat with Iyer. But the OM crew isn't losing any time in starting to generate buzz with blog updates and Twitterings. Today, for example, they announced that you can vote on the accents/upholstery fabric used in the restaurant's lounge. Kind of a neat way to make diners feel like part of the restaurant's development process, however, I notice that you can't vote without submitting your full name and e-mail address. Hrm.
It will be interesting to see what other unique, interactive marketing techniques the restaurant employs between now and its opening, if any. And once all this buzz has been created, will the restaurant live up to it? Besides Dancing Ganesha, which opened last spring, I'm not really aware of any other Indian restaurants in the Twin Cities of the "fine dining" persuasion. Thoughts, fellow foodies?
--Marni Ginther
Assistant Editor
Photo from OM blog
I believe the opening of OM has been pushed to July.
Posted by: Geri Wolf | April 13, 2009 at 10:32 AM
I am looking forward to Opening of OM Restaurant as i am a well wisher of Randy Norman.
Posted by: Majid. H.Nasiruddin | September 17, 2009 at 03:36 PM