Rajni and Tavinder moved to the Highlands nearly 18 years ago and have loved it ever since.
And we [plus LOADS of other locals] have been loving the totally delicious Northern Indian dishes and welcoming atmosphere at their restaurant, Mild to Spicy, in Mittagong.
We caught up with them to chat about their journey, their food, and what makes this place feel like home.
1 :: Hiya Rajni and Tavinder! Tell us a bit about where it all started for you both.
Rajni: We were both born in Northern India. I had a cousin living here in Australia who encouraged us to move over.
I originally came here to study hospitality and cookery at TAFE. I got my citizenship in 2013. It was such a proud moment for me. It really felt like home.
While I was studying, I was working at Mittagong RSL. I worked there for about three years, then I moved on to Harbison in Moss Vale, where I was the head chef for ten years.
After that, we knew it was time to start our own business.
Tavinder: She was also catering Indian food while working, too! She never stops.
2 :: How did you find the spot for the restaurant?
Tavinder: We were looking for the right place for quite a while. We always had our eye on this location. It’s only a two-minute drive from our home, which helps!
Rajni: We loved the big dining area and the beautiful location it’s in. It needed a bit of work, but we had a local artist come in and do the painting inside. She did such an amazing job. We wanted to make it a space that’s clean, bright, and welcoming. We’ve got so many regulars who tell us they love the space, which makes us happy.
3 :: Fill us in on your fantastic menu! Where do the recipes come from?
Rajni: A lot of them are inspired by my family recipes. My friends back in India have also shared recipes with me, some from their restaurants and some from their home cooking.
We really focus on offering a variety of flavours and making sure everything stays true to its authentic taste.
Tavinder: Like our butter chicken, which is nutty and sweet but not too sugary. We have Indian customers who come in and tell us our butter chicken tastes like the ones they’d eat back home in India. That’s when you know it’s right!
And our naan, hot from the oven, is always a favourite.
4 :: What are some dishes locals should try if they haven’t already?
Tavinder: Well, there are the classics like butter chicken and mango chicken, but there’s so much more. Our lamb rogan josh and vindaloo are popular, and then there’s the lamb cutlet curry. It’s a special dish that people fall in love with once they try it.
Rajni: We’re also looking at adding some Southern Indian dishes to the menu soon. We try to shop locally for as many ingredients as possible. Our meat and fresh produce are sourced locally. Some spices and other things we get from specialist Indian grocers because they’re a bit trickier to find.
5 :: We can totally tell there’s a focus on quality and care!
Rajni: Quality is everything to me. When someone tells me they loved their meal or they come back again, it makes my day. That’s why we do this.
Tavinder: Mild to Spicy is a place where you can celebrate something special, but you can also just enjoy a really tasty meal any night of the week. We also do deliveries and have so many regulars. We know where they live without even needing Google Maps anymore!
6 :: Where do you deliver to?
Tavinder: Quite a few places! We deliver to Aylmerton, Balaclava, Berrima, Bowral, Braemar, Colo Vale, High Range, Hill Top, Mittagong, Moss Vale, New Berrima, Renwick, Welby, Willow Vale, Woodlands, and Yerrinbool. It’s a big area.
7 :: What keeps you both so motivated?
Rajni: Our customers! We have plenty of regulars and lots of locals who bring their out-of-town family and friends. That keeps us going.
Tavinder: We’re so grateful. We just want to say a big thank you to everyone for their support.
8 :: With food this good, it’s no surprise the locals keep coming back!
Tavinder: We have people who travel from Marulan and even Sydney to try us. They always ask us to move there! Haha! We have regulars who we do not even need to ask what they want. We already know. And we do lots of regular takeaways too.
Rajni: We hope even more Highlanders get to experience our authentic taste. I’m really excited for what’s ahead.
9 :: And of course, we gotta know, what do you love most about living in the Highlands?
Tavinder: Everything! We came straight from India to the Highlands and haven’t left. It’s peaceful here and people are so friendly. They want to chat and learn about your life. That’s special.
Rajni: We’ve been here nearly 18 years now. We love it so much. We would never live anywhere else.
Woah after that chat, we’re officially craving something spicy, something saucy… and obvs some of that tasty naan to go with it.
Mild to Spicy in Mittagong is serving up all the goods for lunch and dinner from Wednesdays to Monday, aw yeah! You can dine in, takeaway and get delivery…. or even do all three in one week. We would!
Have a peep at their outstanding menu and learn more about this fab Highlands restaurant at their website.
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