Cheetie Kumar to open new Raleigh restaurant Ajja this spring

• Kumar is opening the restaurant with partner Paul Siler. Garland veterans Gaëlle Laforest and Lindsay Ogden will also come on board.

Why it matters: Garland was one of the standouts of the Triangle's dining scene, combining Indian and Asian cuisines with a Southern flair in downtown Raleigh.

• Just months before closing Garland, Kumar had been nominated for a James Beard award.

With Ajja, Kumar will trade downtown for the intimate confines of a neighborhood joint.

• Kumar told Axios in December her next move would be to open a restaurant in the same building as Anisette Sweet Shop, at 209 Bickett Blvd.
• The restaurant is small (just 1,800 square feet) but will feature an expansive outdoor patio, fire pit and skyline views.

Details: The menu will be built around herbaceous spices and shareable dishes, including skewered meats and vegetables, according to Kumar and her co-chef Chris Gamble, previously of Garland, Poole'side Pies and the now-closed Night Kitchen.

• Laforest and Ogden will design a global wine list and a cocktail menu meant to play off the flavors from the kitchen. It will include alcohol-free beverages.