Enter via Carlton with Helly Raichura
An image of Helly Raichura standing against a door with a blue frame. Photograph: Helly Raichura.
It’s been a whirlwind three years for Enter via Laundry’s Helly Raichura; from taking a leap of faith as a HR advisor in 2018 and pursuing her passion for cooking, to starting Enter via Laundry out of her home in Box Hill South. Previously, 10 guests would enter the space via her laundry for a culinary experience throughout regional India and each would leave with nine more friends. Just like Chae who would cater to up to six people in her tiny Brunswick apartment, Raichura brought people into her world, and, thanks to Melbourne’s love for anything exclusive and hidden, bookings soon filled up for a year.
She gained so much notoriety that in 2020 she featured on MasterChef, and later she moved the experience out of her home and offered pop-ups around the state. Her latest stint was at Mornington Peninsula’s Avani Wines, a boutique, minimal intervention winery run by a fellow Indian family who champion India’s regionality through cuisine paired with their wines.
Raichura is proving Enter via Laundry to be a culinary tour de force and is now set to open a permanent venue in Carlton in 2022. Slated to open in mid-to-late February, the restaurant will offer up to 20 guests the opportunity to dine in every night for dinner from Thursday to Saturday and lunch on Sunday.
“We are after stability. Pop-ups are exciting and they offer sea change and it has taken us to some gorgeous locations, though moving the kitchen every service comes with its challenges. We want to find a home for our belongings, our beautiful wine, ceramics, glassware and books and we want the feeling of having someone at our own home for dinner like we originally did at our home in Box Hill,” says Raichura.
At her first concept operating out of her home, Raichura aimed to bring strangers together over a shared table. This is at the very core of Enter via Laundry and she plans to continue this experience at the new venue.
“We will have 20 guests a night, and all 20 will have the space to themselves with no rush to get out [by a certain time]. We have always loved to bring people together via a shared table experience. Hence we will have a shared table of 10 guests and have 10 (five tables of two or so) seats available for private tables, for people that might be on a date or hosting a family event,” she says.
As for the eatery, she advises everyone to expect premium touches without a fine dining experience. “There will be several courses and no expense spared to serve the best produce on amazing handmade plates, beautiful wines and offer great attention to service. We don't want to call ourselves a fine diner, we want our dinner tables full of conversations, cheer, joy and laughter.”
India, a country with 28 states, is often portrayed as having one central culture in Australia, and this can be seen in the myriad restaurants around the country. Each venue is almost guaranteed to spruik murgh makani (butter chicken), tandoori chicken and garlic naan amidst a north Indian or Punjabi menu. It’s no surprise there’s a large representation of Punjabi cuisine here in Naarm (Melbourne) since according to the 2016 census, Punjabi is one of the fastest-growing languages in Australia.
But as a result, India’s rich history, 27 other states and cultures often fall by the wayside. This is what Enter via Laundry aims to alleviate, through educating the wider community on India’s regionality by-way-of cuisine.
“I like to stay away from modernity and explore what's ancient, what's lost, excavate it and restore it.”
“I have always believed in making a difference through a staggered approach. We have now made a strong space for regional Bhartiya/Hindustani cuisine here in Melbourne, which is already a great achievement for us. I have always wanted to go backwards when it comes to the food I serve. I like to stay away from modernity and explore what's ancient, what's lost, excavate it and restore it. This might be through recipes, principles of cooking or how food is consumed.
An image of snacks previously served up at Enter via Laundry. Photograph: Helly Raichura.
Our menus will be focused on regions of India. We’ll pick a primary region which will define the main dish and secondary regions to define the other dishes. The primary region will change after a period of time depending upon seasonality and produce. More and more courses will be served and eaten in (close to) traditional ways. For e.g, if the region calls for one big main with several components then we will try and maintain that as close to the original. Instead of cutting a main meal to several small dishes which resemble a more western framework, we will be guided by the region's authentic ways of eating and serving. Though there will be several courses to get to the main and then several following the main.”
“A dish served in its original form with no alterations or fear of acceptance is where I would like to start.”
She hopes Enter via Laundry sets the tone for all migrants living in Australia. “As a migrant it takes time to feel welcomed and feel at home, though as a mother I want to make sure that my children grow up in a society and culture that embraces and celebrates the places, cultures and nations they come from. I don't want them to feel that they need to change a single thing from their culture to get acceptance. A dish served in its original form with no alterations or fear of acceptance is where I would like to start… As we make a place for our cuisine I want to make a place for our culture in this multicultural society we live in. And finally and most importantly, not forget the traditional owners of this land, and understand that it is pivotal to learn about the land that we live on, be part of it in a genuine way and be grateful for it,” she says.
Enter via Laundry is set to open in Carlton in around mid-to-late February and will operate for dinner from Thursday to Saturday and lunch on Sundays. More information, including bookings, will be released a month in advance. Stay up-to-date via Instagram.