Raja’s Curry House celebrates 42 years of spicing up region

Floods, cyclones and now a devastating pandemic has still not been enough to shake one of Townsville’s longest-running restaurants, who is celebrating more than 40 years of spicing up the city.

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FLOODS, cyclones and now a devastating pandemic has still not been enough to shake one of Townsville’s longest-running restaurants, which is celebrating more than 40 years of spicing up the city.

Raja’s Curry House has been enduring in its Charters Towers Rd storefront since 1978, with owner Leila Raja continuing her family’s recipes for the next generation.

Mrs Raja recently celebrated 42 years of serving the community her delicious Indian cuisine, saying it was a testament to the region’s resilience.

Raja's Indian Curry House is celebrating 42 years in business. Raja's Team; Amal Fabra, Maina Ramsingh and Leila Raja. Picture: Alix Sweeney

“The restaurant has seen cyclones, floods and everything in between, but this has not stopped generations of families who keep coming back,” she said.

“Most of the dishes were handed down from my grandmother who was an avid cook.”

The restaurant was forced to temporarily close in March at the peak of the COVID-19 shutdown, and is among few restaurants who have been able to reopen after the financial hit.

In this time, Mrs Raja has also faced her own adversity after a terrifying home invasion in August.

The strong woman’s dedication did not falter after the incident, and she reopened her beloved restaurant last month with some delicious new dishes inspired from her West Indies and Malaysian heritage.

Mrs Raja said while the restaurant was her labour of love, the struggles made it worthwhile watching the community embrace and grow with it.

Originally published as Raja’s Curry House celebrates 42 years of spicing up region