1901年，化名“乔”（Joe）的厨师 Ranji Smile 在纽约第五大道325号开设了名为 Omar Khayyam 的餐厅，这几乎可以确定是美国历史上第一家印度餐厅 1。Smile 此前因在纽约 Sherry's 餐厅进行表演式烹饪而走红，随后利用这一名声创业，但他曾虚构自己是俾路支斯坦酋长的儿子或兄弟以及王子身份，其原名不详，“Ranji”可能致敬板球明星 KS Ranjitsinhji，“Smile”则可能是“Ismail”的英语化拼写 1。
然而，Omar Khayyam 餐厅仅维持了一年便宣告倒闭，《纽约太阳报》当时报道称公众已经厌倦了印度食物 1。除了经营失败，Smile 还因涉嫌非法引进劳工面临联邦诉讼并险些被驱逐出境，尽管他最终逃避了遣返，但其人生轨迹自此逐渐模糊，现存最后的记录是1937年其妻子向法院申请婚姻无效 1。尽管 Smile 销声匿迹且未获商业成功，但他的尝试为后来印度菜在美国的普及奠定了基础 1。值得注意的是，另一位斯里兰卡人 KY Kira 于1913年在哈莱姆区开设的 Ceylon India Inn 一直营业至20世纪80年代末，该餐厅也自称是美国第一家印度餐厅 1。
Ranji Smile, a chef who gained fame through theatrical cooking at New York’s Sherry’s restaurant, is credited with opening what was almost certainly the first Indian restaurant in the United States. 1 In 1901, Smile established Omar Khayyam at 325 Fifth Avenue in Manhattan. 1 Although he later vanished from public record, his efforts laid the groundwork for the eventual widespread popularity of Indian cuisine in the country. 1
The origins and identity of the man known as "Joe" remain shrouded in mystery, with his real name never confirmed. 1 His pseudonym "Ranji" possibly honored cricket star KS Ranjitsinhji, while "Smile" may have been an anglicization of "Ismail." 1 Smile embellished his background, claiming to be the son or brother of a Balochistan chieftain and fabricating a royal persona to enhance his allure. 1 Despite the initial buzz, Omar Khayyam closed within a year, with The New York Sun noting that diners had grown weary of Indian food. 1 Legal troubles further complicated Smile’s tenure; he faced federal litigation for allegedly importing laborers illegally and narrowly escaped deportation. 1 His last known appearance in records occurred in 1937, when his wife filed for a marriage annulment. 1 Decades later, another Sri Lankan entrepreneur, KY Kira, opened the Ceylon India Inn in Harlem in 1913, which operated until the late 1980s and also claimed to be the nation's first Indian restaurant. 1
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