Tandoori Bite
Princeton contains a global smorgasbord of downtown dining options and now fans of Indian cuisine have one more option.
Tandoori Bite opened its doors on Witherspoon Street and offers a full menu of North Indian specialties for diners. The 54-seat restaurant is a family venture, owned by Piara Singh Dhaliwal, who hails from Punjab and was formerly chef of Mehek on Nassau Street, and his daughter Sandeep Kaur.
“He’s been in the restaurant business more than 20 years,” says Ms. Kaur of her father. “It is my dad’s dream, that he wants to open his own restaurant in Princeton, because he likes Princeton,” she says.
Tandoori Bite, 36 Witherspoon St., Princeton, 609-385-0169; This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it (no website at present)

A New Westin Princeton
The Westin Princeton at Forrestal Village has completed a full-scale renovation and renewal designed to make it one of the area’s top business and leisure travel choices.
“This all-encompassing new look reflects our commitment to offering our guests a retreat from the rigors of the road,” says General Manager Marc Fournier. The $9 million transformation of the Westin’s lobby, restaurant and lounge, and 296 guest rooms creates “a place that nourishes the mind, body and soul,” Mr. Fournier says.
Guests can linger at the Latitude Lounge and Patio, or sample the fare of Parallel 40 restaurant, which has introduced the concept of “Superfoods” to the Princeton area, food that is both tasty and health enhancing. The Westin now has five suites too, including the expansive multi-level Presidential Suite.
Westin Princeton at Forrestal Village, 201 Village Blvd., Plainsboro; 609-452-7900;
westin.com/princeton

Opera New Jersey’s new director
The prelude has been played, the curtain is up, and the opening act of Richard Russell has begun at Opera New Jersey.
Mr. Russell has come aboard as the general director of the 8-year-old West Windsor-based company, New Jersey’s largest opera company, succeeding founding directors Scott and Lisa Altman.
“I’m very excited about being here. I think this is a great company, there is such energy in this company,” says Mr. Russell, who came to Opera New Jersey from Florida where he was director of marketing for the Sarasota Opera.
Mr. Russell says he intends to shepherd Opera New Jersey through its 2010 summer season performances of Don Giovanni, Faust and Don Pasquale at McCarter Theatre, and begin to program a mix of lesser known operatic works alongside popular favorites for the future.
The goal?
“I really think the company has potential for becoming a destination opera company,” Mr. Russell says. With all the amenities Princeton provides, a night at the Opera New Jersey could become the crowning entertainment experience for visitors, he believes. “It’s a great challenge,” he says.
Mr. Russell also sees opportunities for ancillary programs, such as lectures and recitals, and is excited about expanding Opera New Jersey’s education programs with local schools.
“It’s a very exciting time for this company,” Mr. Russell says. “I’m very excited to get to know the community better.”
Opera New Jersey, 14 Washington Road, West Windsor; 609-799-7700; opera-nj.org

The Residences at Palmer Square
At long last, the dream of Edgar Palmer will soon be complete. In 1937, Mr. Palmer envisioned a European-style town square in downtown Princeton, providing a counterpoint to the Princeton University campus across Nassau Street. The high-end retail and dining components of Mr. Palmer’s vision have long been established, and after years in the planning will soon be complemented by The Residences at Palmer Square, the luxury town home and condominium development that is taking shape along Paul Robeson Place between Chambers and Witherspoon streets.
“I think the timing actually has turned out to be very good,” says David Newton, vice president of Palmer Square Management. The luster of downtown Princeton is still apparent in the variety of shopping, dining and entertainment options it holds, and Residences occupants will have it all at their fingertips, Mr. Newton says.
The Residences’ new construction and luxury amenities will appeal to everyone from university faculty, sophisticated urbanites who fall in love with the charms of Princeton, and discerning travelers from the world’s great capitals, says Jay Goldberg, who is heading sales at The Residences.
Phase I of the development is under way: 11 2,600- to 3,200-square-foot townhomes and 16 1,600- to 3,200-square-foot condominiums, priced from $1.2 to $2.5 million.
“There is one particular unit that I love, it has a really long terrace,” says Mr. Newton.
The Residences at Palmer Square, 53 Hulfish St., Princeton; 609-924-3884; palmersquareresidences.com