Archived Article By Tom Fitzmorris Originally published December 20, 2005 Click here for the current edition Taj Mahal, Ben and Jerry's Open--By The Same People I received two widely disparate pieces of news from the same source over the weekend. Anila Keswani and her son Anjay, who operate the Taj Mahal (923-C Metairie Rd, 836-6859) and Nirvana (4308 Magazine, 894-9797) Indian restaurants, say that both will be open on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. On the latter, Taj Mahal will do only lunch and Nirvana only dinner, and the service will be buffet style. Not especially seasonal, but well-seasoned. (And also more normal than you might imagine. The best place to look for open restaurants on major holidays -- assuming you're not specifically celebrating the holiday with the meal--is in the Asian category.) The other news item from the Keswanis is that they will open the first Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream franchise in the New Orleans area this Wednesday. It will be at the corner of Veterans and Severn, near the Whole Food Market. “I don't really know how we've been able to pull this off, but I do know the support of the Ben & Jerry's corporate offices and local contractors has been absolutely vital,” Anjay says. They had the shop in the works before the storm. Ben & Jerry's started as a bohemian, high-end ice cream in the Northeast. Its most famous flavor is Cherry Garcia, named for the late leader of the Grateful Dead. It's corporate now, but keeps its quality high and its responsibilities. Proceeds from the first week of sales go to the local Habitat For Humanity effort. 3500 Veterans Blvd., 883-7697. © 2005 Tom Fitzmorris. All rights reserved. news@nomenu.com