Indian restaurant to replace former popular East Sacramento dining spot

A new Indian restaurant is moving in where Cielito Lindo Mexican Gastronomy once sat along J Street in East Sacramento.

Flyers for Junoon — Flavors Of India are taped to the windows at 3672 J St., and paint on the front-facing panes advertises the restaurant is “coming soon.” The building’s inside remains under construction, including buckets of primer near a once-orange wall now being painted blue.

Junoon, which translates to “passion” in Hindi, will be the only Indian restaurant in East Sacramento when it opens. Junoon owner and Natomas resident Mohit Bir Bahl first registered the business as an LLC on March 16, according to the California Secretary of State’s website.

Cielito Lindo served white-tablecloth Mexican lunches and dinners from 2013 until April, when Ramiro Alarcon closed it to take the opening chef job at Antojo Street Taco Bar.