MOMO & PANEER ROLL HOUSE @ GANGTOK

ROLL HOUSE@GANGTOK

For Anil , Momos at “Roll House” is a part of his daily diet. A second year student at Government College Tadong hardly skips it any day. David Frazer a tourist from Australia who was in Gangtok for 3 days drooled on paneer roll so much that he had it in breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Roll House, located on a small strip, branched out form M.G Marg, which goes towards the Sadar Police Station Taxi stand. A small shop always crowded with locals and tourists was started way back in the year 2001.

Raju Sharma, manager of Roll House went to Kolkata and brought the concept from there. “I visited to Kolkata for some work in 2001. There I saw that many shops were flooded with people savoring rolled chapattis. Even I tasted one and decided there only to start a Roll House in Gangtok too” quipped Mr. Sharma, fondly called by his staff as Raju bhai.

But Momo and Thukpa lovers didn’t dote on yummy rolls initially. Raju Bhai shared his very tough times and said “For the initial years response was awful. I thought of closing it down because of heavy losses. In starting I sold just 3 to 4 rolls a day. I used to stand outside on MG Marg and requested tourists and locals to taste my rolls. I gave it free of cost too so that at least a taste can be developed”.

It doesn't matter if shop is small, board should be of king size.
But soon Mr. Raju realized that just selling rolls won’t improve his business. It is important to serve locals what they love most. So momo was added into menu. That strategy worked and soon people began pouring in and along with momos started savoring rolls too.

After that there was no looking back for the Roll House. Today the menu includes Veg Roll, Veg Cheese Roll, Paneer Roll and Cheese Roll along with momos. Among all still the momos are hot favourite followed by veg roll. Anil Gurung who works in sports department asserted that “I tried momos everywhere in the town. But no shop could match momos of Roll House. Above all the sizes of momos are bigger and taste is better than any other shop”.

“It is the quality that brings our customers again and again to our shop. We have ensured that we serve the best Rolls and Momos in the town and in our endeavor we use good quality of oil and fresh materials” says Raju Bhai.

The major breakthrough for the Roll House came in the year 2009 when “Lonely Planet” added this place in its guide book and recommended it as a must eat food joint in Gangtok. NDTV also visited and featured it in its show “Zaika India Ka”.

Always crowded butdon't worry you will not be ignored or pushed aside here, they are happy to serve you

Despite being there is no place to sit and a small counter that divides the kitchen and the customers, Roll house is thronged by the tourists and locals. In a peak season the sale increase upto three thousands rolls. But still Raju Bhai feels that it is the locals from Gangtok who are responsible for the turnaround of his business. “Tousrist visit Gangtok in a particular season only but it’s the natives who regular visit my shop”.

There are plans to open one more outlet in Gangtok and also add some more items in menu list. But small space is restricitng Raju Sharma to expand his business. But till then this one small shop is pacifying the taste buds of connoisseurs who visit or live in Gangtok