♥ Street Tacos, Flowers & Pastries: A Valentine’s Day Dry Run On Howe Street

If you don’t have Valentines Day plans yet and like vegetarian Indian food, flowers, and dessert — Howe Street is looking like the place to land.

City officials performed a dry Valentine’s Day run on Howe Wednesday as they celebrated the recent openings of Pataka Vegetarian Indian Food, Any Occasion Creation Florist, and The Devil’s Diet dessert bar.

Mayor Justin Elicker and Economic Development Administrator Michael Piscitelli helped cut the ribbons for the businesses and make the round of celebration for lunch, flowers, and dessert. The ribbon-cutting kicked off the city’s Valentine’s Day ​“Shop & Stay Local” campaign.

The three business owners were also welcomed to the neighborhood officially.

Step #1: Lunch

Brothers Harry and Romy Singh, 30 and 27 respectively, own Pataka at 140 Howe St. The brothers opened this past September despite the increase in challenges due to the pandemic. Harry is the restaurant’s executive chef. Romy handles the marketing. (Read a full previous story about their new restaurant and its street tacos here.)

The duo grew up in New Haven and in the restaurant business. Their father is the owner of Sitar Restaurant on Grove Street.

“The restaurant business comes naturally to me,” said Harry.

“We keep it simple and focus on our quality,” Harry said.

The pandemic slowed down the vegetarian restaurant’s original grand opening about six months.

“Pataka” means firework. The hope is to make vegetarian cuisine more exciting and fun, said Harry. ​“Vegetarian cuisine was tucked away in a corner, and we want to play more with it. Make it pop and spice it up.”

The restaurant serves casual and healthful meals. ​“We were geared up for the fast and casual demand the pandemic sped up,” Harry said.

Harry owns House of Naan Indian Kitchen and Bar at 65 Howe.

The brothers hope to give back to their hometown by partnering with fellow New Haven businesses to ​“better our city,” Harry said.

“Our recovery is based on these small businesses,” said Piscitelli as the group moved on to its second destination.

“Opening a business is not easy. but you guys did it during one of the most challenging times,” said Elicker. 

Step #2: Flowers

Florist Carrien Davis and husband Chris Davis cut the ribbon for Any Occasion Creation at 89 Howe, which opened this past July.

Carrien previously opened three other locations around New Haven and West Haven; they have since closed down. The three other locations closed because of their location, lack of parking, and lack of community support, Chris said.

Carrien opened her first shop in 2013 in Westville. ​“The location was too far from the community and there was no parking,” Chris said.

Howe Street is active, and has provided Carrien with nonstop work.

Carrien is a self-taught florist. She began her work as a teen and never gave up on her passion. Carrien wanted to open last March; the pandemic delayed her plan.

For the Valentines Day holiday, the shop has been getting online orders. Chris said the shop is beginning to make a profit because of the increasing demands for flowers.

“A floral business is beneficiary during the pandemic,” Chris said. ​“People needed flowers for family in the hospital and funerals.”

Step #3: Dessert 

Devil’s Diet owner and chef Alba Estenoz opened the dessert bar this past October. The restaurant at 1245 Chapel St. has its entrance on Howe Street.

Estenoz has lived in New Haven for about 17 years after moving here from Madrid.

General manager Candace O’Leary joined Estenoz for the ribbon cutting Wednesday. O’Leary was laid off from her job in Waterbury during the pandemic. Originally from New York, O’Leary said she is enjoying New Haven and sees it as ​“a smaller New York.”

Since opening, Estenoz said, the business is improving as foot traffic picks up.

Estenoz said she loves Howe Street’s ​“perfect mix” between homes and businesses.

Mayor Elicker said the three business are among 40 businesses that opened last year during the pandemic.