Restaurateur Ashok Bajaj Announces The Opening of Malabar

WASHINGTON, DC, UNITED STATES, December 3, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Malabar replaces Knightsbridge Restaurant Group’s Rosedale, bringing modern Indian fare to the Forest Hills neighborhood of Washington.

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Restaurateur Ashok Bajaj of Knightsbridge Restaurant Group announces the mid-December closing of the year-old restaurant, Rosedale, to be replaced by Malabar in mid-January 2026. Located at 4465 Connecticut Avenue, NW, 20008, in the Forest Hills neighborhood in the northwest quadrant of the nation’s capital, the incoming restaurant, Malabar, will bring modern Indian fare, with a culinary team led by Group Executive Chef Vikram Sunderam. The restaurant is named after the Malabar Coast, which is the southwestern region of the Indian subcontinent. For the transformation, the restaurant will undergo a décor refresh with the installation of striking new artwork in the 100-seat dining room. The patio, which seats 30 guests for outdoor dining, weather permitting, will have a more tropical vibe as summer 2026 returns warmer weather to the nation’s capital. Malabar will serve dinner and Sunday brunch and is within easy walking distance of the Van Ness UDC Metro station.

James Beard award-winning Group Executive Chef Sunderam has been with Knightsbridge Restaurant Group for 20 years. He joined the company with the opening of Rasika in Penn Quarter. Sunderam is responsible for the award-winning cuisine at both Rasika and Rasika West End. He also developed the menu for Bindaas, and Bindaas Bowls and Rolls. Sunderam and Bajaj also wrote a published cookbook, Rasika: Flavors of India, with co-author David Hagedorn.

Malabar is the land of spices and coconuts, attracting tourists just as it had drawn traders from across the world for centuries. Geographically wedged between the Western Ghats and the Arabian Sea, Malabar covers the area north of the Bharathapuzha, stretching over parts of Thrissur, Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Kannur, and Kasaragod districts of Kerala. This region was once the epicenter of the world’s spice trade, drawing merchants from Arabia, China, Portugal, and the Netherlands. Kozhikode, in particular, was a thriving port city where pepper, cardamom, cinnamon, and other treasures of the land were exchanged for gold, silk, and porcelain.

“Malabar is designed to be a neighborhood gathering place with exciting fare that transports guests to India’s southern west coast region for an evening of dining. The restaurant is centered around a U-shaped bar for socializing and making new friends while enjoying Indian cuisine,” states Ashok Bajaj. “Guests can gather at the inviting bar for craft cocktails that pair well with the bold flavors of the fare. Those who enjoy dining downtown at both of the Rasika locations will now find similar tempting cuisine north of Cleveland Park and the National Zoo. Malabar will also offer guests a private dining room for family celebrations.”

For a sampling of the opening menu, Coastal Appetizers will be priced at $16 and include Malabar Crab Cake with fennel, black pepper, and tempered mayo; Scallops Caldine, sea scallops, coconut, green chili, and cilantro; Goan Lamb Cutlet, cured lamb, Peri-Peri Masala, and Vindaloo chutney with straw potatoes. Coastal Entrees range in price from $22 to $34 and include Malabar Black Cod, ginger, tamarind, jaggery and curried potatoes; Seafood Coastal Bouillabaisse, shrimp, mussels, rock fish and coconut milk; Mangalorean Chicken Curry, fresh coconut, garlic, fenugreek and coriander seeds; Lamb Shank, roasted coconut, green cardamom and fennel, and Malabari Lamb Biryani, Kaima rice, aromatic spices, raisins, cashew nuts and onion tomato raita. Coastal Vegetarian Entrees priced at $20 include Dakshini Vegetable Korma, with seasonal vegetables, poppy seeds, cinnamon, and cloves; and Bhindi Pepper Fry, with onion, tomatoes, and Tellicherry black pepper. For dessert, diners can look forward to Chocolate Bebinca, multi-layered coconut pancakes with chocolate ice cream, and Banana Toffee Paniyaram, a sweet rice-lentil dumpling with coconut ice cream, each priced at $12.

Malabar joins Knightsbridge Restaurant Group’s collection of award-winning restaurants in Washington. D.C., which includes Rasika, Rasika West End, Bombay Club, Bindaas, Bindaas Bowls and Rolls, Sababa, Annabelle, La Bise, and Little Blackbird. Renowned for creating some of the nation’s capital’s most important destination dining establishments, Knightsbridge is also successful in building neighborhood contemporary restaurants for casual gatherings with friends and family. For more information, please visit https://www.knightsbridgerestaurantgroup.com/.

Heather Freeman
Heather Freeman Media & PR
+1 202-441-3607
press@heatherfreeman.com

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