lehja

For my first wedding anniversary, I planned a romantic, exotic weekend getaway…..in Short Pump. Yes, folks, you read that correctly and yes, I am the worst weekend getaway planner, ever. What possessed me to plan a vacation to the suburbs is beyond me.

What ended happening (other than me having a complete breakdown that I ruined our anniversary and crying in the Food Lion parking lot because all my plans fell through) was that we discovered Lehja (11800 W Broad St), an Indian restaurant in the Short Pump Mall.

I don't really know anything about Indian food (or planning romantic anniversaries). I have had the pleasure of eating in a couple of Indian friends' kitchens, but had never been out to eat at an Indian restaurant before.

When we found ourselves at Lehja, I immediately ordered a glass of sparkling rose. Then I had a million questions about the menu. Our server spoke to me in a way that didn’t make me feel stupid, which was a feat for him, I’m sure. He was patient during our ordering process and seemed honored that we chose their restaurant as our first Indian dining experience.

The food was fantastic, the service impeccable and the Mall melted away as soon as we were inside their beautiful space. This meal completely saved our anniversary celebration.  

The weekend adventure ended up being a complete bust, but I am so glad that we made the 20 minute trek up Broad Street and stumbled upon what has become one of my favorite restaurants in Richmond. Not exaggerating, this place is in my top 5.

Our second wedding anniversary was this week and I didn’t make big plans for a weekend adventure. What I did, was make reservations at Lehja.