Indian Fusion Restaurant/banquet Hall Proposed For Old Golden Corral In Elgin

The owner of the now-vacant Golden Corral restaurant in Elgin is seeking city permission to transform it into an Indian fusion restaurant and banquet hall.

Golden Corral at 601 S. Randall Road never recovered after the COVID-19 pandemic, New Future company spokesperson Silpa Yadla told the Elgin Planning and Zoning Commission at its Feb. 2 meeting. Their goal is to rebrand the restaurant for a new use, a plan that the commission is recommending the Elgin City Council approve.

The new business will be called Tulsi, which, in addition to being a restaurant, will include two banquet rooms for parties, special events and corporate gatherings, Yadla said. One room will accommodate 200 people and the other 44; both will be available for use Friday through Sunday.

The banquet halls will be professionally managed with on-site staff, Yadla said. Meanwhile, restaurant hours will be 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.

“Our proposed restaurant and banquet hall have been intentionally designed to operate within the existing constraints of the site and zoning framework,” Yadla told commissioners at their meeting.

New Future’s plan is to “activate an underutilized commercial space with a well-run, high-quality establishment that contributes positively to the area while being a responsible neighbor,” Yadla said.

The company operated Golden Corral until its closure in fall 2025 after an 18-year run. Early on, the restaurant was often at capacity, she said.

Tulsi needs city approval because an event venue is not listed as a permitted conditional use under the existing zoning.

Interior and exterior changes will be made to the 11,462-square-foot, one-story building. The exterior will have a modern facade with new dormers and stucco siding, according to plans submitted to the city.

While it is required to have 197 parking spaces under city ordinances, the property only has 166 available. However,because it’s located within a larger shopping center, it has access to more spaces, which they’re seeking permission to use from neighboring businesses.

That should allow them to meet the criteria, Elgin City Planner Damir Latinovic told the commission. A parking agreement will need to be finalized prior to the opening, he said.

“I appreciate your willingness and thoughtfulness to repurpose the existing business,” Commissioner Karin Jones told Yadla.

City documents cited the fact that an adaptive reuse avoids “50 to 75 percent of the embodied carbon emissions that an identical new building would generate because renovations typically reuse the most carbon-intensive parts of the building, the foundation, structure, and building envelope,” according to the American Institute for Architects and the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

“I just want to thank you for investing in Elgin,” Commissioner Debra Vruble said.

Gloria Casas is a freelance reporter for The Courier-News.