Customers wait to order at Banyan Tree on its opening day, Sunday, June 11. The food truck will be at Rising Tide Co-op in Damariscotta on Sundays for the foreseeable future. (Photo courtesy Dan D’ippolito)
On Sunday, June 11, locals gathered at Rising Tide Co-op in Damariscotta to enjoy the Indian food of Banyan Tree, a new food truck operated by Damariscotta resident San Rudra and his family.
Banyan Tree will be open to the public every Sunday for the foreseeable future, from noon to 5 p.m. behind Rising Tide. Those who stop by to enjoy the food can pick from a menu that proudly incorporates local flavor into classic Indian cuisine, all prepared by Rudra himself.
Dishes like butter chicken and saag paneer went quickly on Banyan Tree’s opening day, and the business sold out within two hours.
“We were literally scraping the bottom of every stock pot … rice, naan, everything was sold out,” Rudra said. “It was a success storm.”
Rudra’s primary inspiration for Banyan Tree was his father, who passed away in December 2021. Rudra’s father, who was a management consultant with a talent for cooking and a love for food, dreamed of opening a restaurant for himself.
“I wanted to honor him and keep that dream alive, so I think the food truck is a manifestation of that,” Rudra said.
The tree that the food truck gets its name from encapsulates the aspirations that Rudra has for his venture. The banyan tree is the national tree of India, and is said to be the tree under which Buddha attained nirvana.
Additionally, the nature of the tree itself mirrors Rudra’s hope for becoming ingrained in the local area, as the branches of the banyan tree grow aerial roots, which spread indefinitely.
Rudra, who has been cooking for friends and neighbors for years, cited the community as an inspiration.
“The process started with them talking about the lack of Indian food in our immediate vicinity,” he said.
Owning and operating a food truck was a passion project for Rudra, so a food truck which brought something new to Damariscotta in terms of cuisine was the perfect way to combine a personal goal with a lasting contribution to the community.
The long term goal for Banyan Tree is to become ingrained in the community, and its location and partnership with Rising Tide will only assist in this goal.
San Rudra, of Damariscotta, prepares food on Banyan Tree’s opening day at Rising Tide Co-op on Sunday, June 11. (Photo courtesy Dan D’ippolito)
“What Rising Tide does from a local community standpoint inspires me to tie up with them because the products that they sell and their connection with people is what I want to replicate and partner with them on,” Rudra said. “I think that’s a natural choice of a partner and I’m very happy and thankful for the support Heather (Burt, Rising Tide general manager) and team have shown in making this a reality.”
While long term goals are important to Rudra, he also wants to focus on how he and Banyan Tree can improve week to week. Rudra’s goal for future Sundays is to make the service more efficient. Those who attended the opening of Banyan Tree on June 11 had to wait longer than Rudra would have liked for their dishes, as he couldn’t anticipate the demand for the food.
Although Rudra was thankful that people waited patiently, he hopes to change the prep approach so that food comes out faster.
Elizabeth Palmer, a Nobleboro resident and friend of Rudra’s, was at Banyan Tree’s opening, and praised both the delicious food and the sense of community that she felt there.
“It was like a whole community event,” Palmer said. “Even though it was the first day and there was a really long wait, I didn’t hear grumbling, the people were all getting to know each other.”
Palmer expressed her hopes for Banyan Tree’s future, noting that the food truck’s outdoor seating and friendly environment could make it a “potential magnet” for people to gather on Sundays and enjoy the food and each other’s company.
“I could picture people bringing blankets and sitting on the lawn … I think there’s a future,” Palmer said. “It will attract other food trucks.”
While Rudra and his family have only lived in Damariscotta for two years, locals like Palmer have shown support for Banyan Tree in many different ways.
“I’m just blown away by the support shown by the local community,” Rudra said.
For more information, go to banyantreeme.com.
