As Matt’s Meals fans know, I am admittedly not the biggest Indian food fan, but I LOVE Shanti.

While we wait for them to come to Needham, my family and I will venture to Roslindale or even back to my old hometowns of Cambridge and Dorchester to enjoy (and I mean “ENJOY”!) their authentically contemporary tastes, like their worth-the-trip hand-baked naan and fresh and refreshing mango lassi and their amazing curry dishes, vegetable plates, and exotic meat offerings.

Speaking of great food in Cambridge , the Shanti team is planning to bring their sister restaurant, Dudley Café, from Dudley Square in Roxbury (hence the name!) to Porter Square in Cambridge as well and are asking for help by offering a great reward to fans and friends even before they open!

Using the community finance tool NuMarket, the Dudley Café crew is crowdfunding the new venue by offering a 120% return on any investment. This means that when you donate $100, you get $120 in credit to spend at the new location. And with a menu that ranges from delicious day-starters like thick and rich challah French toast and a breakfast sandwich that includes egg, sauteed spinach, cheese and the Café’s house sauce to a lunch break’s worth of rice bowls and such hand-y favorites as the PAC Man (pulled pork, Asian slaw and chipotle mayo) and the famed No. 34 sandwich (which features grass-fed local roast beef with caramelized onions, sweet potatoes, and greens on French bread), any amount of credits will be easy to spend!

In addition to offering great food, Dudley Café is also a community space that presents local artists and events that bring people together in ways that go beyond shared meals (as good as they may be!).
In encouraging donors to enjoy the fruits of their generosity, the Shanti/Dudley team hopes to build a true community of food fans who also want to support local businesses, even if those businesses are worth visiting from not-so-local locales.

Please visit ShantiBoston.com and DudleyCafe.com and join the community!