Photo via India House
In a food city like Chicago, restaurants come and go in the blink of an eye. That’s why continued success, like a quarter of a century of delicious food, is a true accomplishment. India House {4801, 59 West Grand Avenue, Chicago; 312.645.9500} is hitting this landmark in 2018, and they are celebrating by continuing to offer exceptional service, plus more than 250 menu items, in both classic dishes and a decadent lunch buffet. Jagmohan Jayara is the Founder and Executive Chef at India House, and is talking about the restaurant’s continued success, and planned expansion.
DiningOut: India House is about to turn 25 years old! How has the restaurant evolved in the last quarter century?
Jayara: The first India House opened in June 1993 in Hoffman Estates! Since then, much has changed. Now everything is a presentation—fusion-focused and glamorous. Customers want something new every day, are not satisfied with the status quo. Which is a fun challenge!
Our catering has also expanded. We started the hosting and catering for weddings in 1998, and since then we have catered more than 300 weddings, many of them in Chicago hotels.
Photo via India House
What has remained the same and/or how have you stayed true to your mission in that time?
We have tried to stay the same throughout the years. We want to present authentic Indian food, classic dishes that remind me of family cooking growing up in India. I am still all for innovation and will be adding new Indian Brunch in the fall. But there is still a great demand for good old-fashioned Indian food.
What do you want people to experience when they dine with you?
Great food, great service, great ambience, and great creativity is why we have been around for 25 years.
However, updates like the new Indian cocktails, like the Cumin Old Fashioned, Cooling Calcutta, Tamarind Whiskey Sour, and Tamarind Martini are key.
Photo via India House
Other ways to experience the restaurant include working with your catering team. What have been some of your most memorable planned events?
We did a wedding where there was an elephant at Navy Pier with more than 1,000 people! The elephant is an Indian tradition.
Another wedding was a 5,000 family-style dinner at the Rosemont Convention Center, and his holiness, Prince Aga Khan was there. His estimated worth is 25 million!
For the last 25 years, we have done numerous families weddings, and it’s great to cater to bride and grooms in the past…and now I’m catering for their kids!
Another staple of your restaurant is the lunch buffet! What are some options we have to try on the buffet?
Lunch buffet options that we have to spotlight are the Chicken Tikka Malasa and the Samosa. They are classics, made at a spice level that everyone can try!
Photo via India House
And what are some of your must-have dinner menu items?
Must have dinner items are the Tandoori Lamb Chops, the Tandoori Salmon, and the Chicken Chi-Cati. I also love the Spicy Madros Tamarind Chicken, the Banging Bertha (an eggplant dish), plus the Pallak Panner and the Spicy Masala Nan.
What’s next for India House?
Our brand, Bombay Chopsticks, is opening in Naperville in the fall and it is Indo-Chinese.
We are also going to start selling gourmet food to Indian grocery stores. The line is called French by India House, and we have aspirations to go national.
By Kaleigh Glaza | Online Editor
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