60 PUNCHMAGAZINE.COM {food coloring} F or husband-and-wife team Ajay Walia and Reena Miglani, their new restaurant Amara in Belmont is a true passion project. “The Peninsula has been home for us for the last 25 years and we want to create places where we ourselves would like to dine. We want to add to the vibrancy of our community. We want it to feel like home.” The couple settled in Chicago 35 years ago from their native India to attend graduate school. It was there that Ajay spent several years helping a good friend with running his restaurants, becoming deeply involved in the business. After relocating to the Bay Area to work for Oracle, Ajay felt a void from not managing the day-to-day aspects of an eatery. So when he got laid off, the couple decided to open a restaurant of their own. ABOVE: Ajay Walia and Reena Miglani at Amara. Now, with over two decades of experience operating Saffron in San Carlos, and the recently reopened Rasa in Burlingame, they say their third restaurant, Amara, is a culmination of everything they’ve learned. “Our restaurants are like our kids,” says Reena. “You’re always a little harsher with the first one. Every mistake and your heart breaks. With the second one (Rasa), as long as it’s not too serious, they’re fine. Our newest restaurant feels like our grandchild. We’re giving up a little bit of control but we’ve learned so much.” “It’s not just about good food and good service,” Ajay adds. “With Amara, we’ve been very in-
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