Kirpa's Indian Cuisine opens Today, May 1 in West Hood River
File Photo - Meet Neetu and Deepak Bamba - they are opening Kirpa’s Indian Cuisine today, Wednesday, May 1 at 4040 Westcliff Drive in Hood River. They are open 7 days a week. Hours are 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday. On Saturday, noon to 10 p.m. and Sunday, noon to 8 p.m.
By Tom Peterson
Hood River, Ore., April 29, 2024 — Deepak and Neetu Bamba are at it again.
The successful couple who opened Bamba’s Indian Restaurant Bar in The Dalles 14 months ago is poised to open a second eatery, this time in Hood River, on May 1.
Deepak Bamba at the new Kirpa’s Indian Cuisine in Hood River.
Turns out, locals are still thirsty for spicy East Indian food.
On Monday, the Bambas and their kitchen crew of four were working overtime to ready the new restaurant called Kirpa’’s Indian Cuisine for its opening at 4040 Westcliff Drive just off I-84 in West Hood River.
Kirpa translates to kindness or mercy. And this cuisine leaves you feeling treated well.
The restaurant is located at the former White Buffalo Bistro and Wine Bar.
You can’t miss it - it is the building with the white buffalo out front just west of the Columbia Cliffs Villa Hotel.
East Meets West in Hood River - Kirpa’s Indian Cuisine now resides at the former White Buffalo at 4040 Cliffview Drive in Hood River.
On Tuesday, Deepak Bamba gave a tour of the new restaurant and said word has been spreading fast about the opening.
Curry to the rescue. Butter Chicken and Palak Paneer are sure to provide some deep satisfaction today, May 1.
Locals are uber curious about their cuisine, filled with curries, spinach gravies, Indian cheeses, Tandoori chicken and Naan flatbread to name a few. A strong vegetarian selection balances out the mix.
Pair that with a Haywards 5000 premium beer from Mumbai and the gift of Indian Cuisine is complete.
That’s the Bamba! Curry to the rescue. Butter Chicken and Palak Paneer provided some deep satisfaction on Tuesday night.
On Monday, the savory, spicy aromas spilled from the kitchen and into the dining room that was bright with silver chairs with black seats and white table cloths.
“Most things are new,” Deepak, 42, said earlier in the day. He was referring to the clean commercial kitchen appliances, tables, bar and paint.
After opening the restaurant in The Dalles at 312 Court Street in 2023, the couple had been searching for the right spot in Hood River.
A fair amount of study went into the decision to open the restaurant, and the Bambas discovered they would have a niche, as there were no brick-and-mortar East Indian restaurants in either The Dalles or Hood River.
The American Dream
It is the culmination of the Bamba’s dream that had its seminal roots reaching back more than a decade and stretching 7,000 miles.
Jalandhar, India
Jalandhar, India
In 2014, the couple was living in the “small town” of Jalandhar, India. It is a city of more than a million people in a country of more than 1.4 billion. They were running a gift store. They had a 5-year-old daughter, Kripakshi, and they were different from most in one way.
They are of the Christian faith, which was not well received in the mostly Hindu and Muslim country.
“We follow the Bible,” he said. “We go to church on Sundays.”
“I got into trouble over there, honestly,” he said of being a Christian in India.
Deepak said the quest for religious freedom for the family was the push to immigrate to Camas where they were helped immensely by their godfather, Darshan Pataria, 59.
Pataria also happens to be a pretty gifted cook.
He has taken on cooking duties at the Guru Ramdas Gurdwara Sahib Temple in Vancouver, Wash., which served some 300 on Sundays.
Back in 2023, The Bomba and Pataria families cut celebration/birthday cake a the new Indian restaurant in The Dalles. From right to left, Neetu Bamba, Kripakshi Bamba, Deepak Bomba, and godparents Darshan and Manju Pataria.
“He taught us,” Deepak said, noting he handed down his knowledge and recipes and they eventually parlayed it into a catering business that led to the restaurant in The Dalles.
“He has helped us through every hard situation,” Deepak said. “He has been a light for us in the darkness.”
Deepak pinned his first dollar tip to the wall in 2023 at The Dalles restaurant as he and his family embarked on their hunt for the American Dream.
