In 1990, completely green as a young food editor, I found myself on a press trip to Malaysia. This was my first trip out of the country, with the exception of Mexico. Hot, humid, and a bit oppressive, the country was an explosion of unknown sites, scents, and tastes. Daily, we were confronted with exotic, unknown dishes that were unusual, salty, fishy, and hot. Very hot. If I had known of roti then, the flaky, buttery, fragrant bread, I would have been in heaven. I am now, after stumbling upon I Love Roti at the 12th South Farmers Market. —Jill Melton, Editor
I Love Roti is the brainchild of Donnie Ankudovich and Lauren Bravoco. Soon after meeting in 2014, the young couple from New Jersey left the States to see the world by working in different countries. They wound up in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, getting jobs in a hostel. Here, over the course of four months, they experienced their roti revelation, each morning dipping the fresh, flaky bread from a local eatery into a spicy bowl of curry. Not only was it the perfect Malay way to start the day, but — some four years and twenty-five countries later — the perfect way to start their new life in Nashville. With Donnie’s restaurant experience and Lauren’s passion for cooking, I Love Roti was born.
“I don’t want to say our relationship is based on food,” Donnie says with a smile. “But it kind of is.”