Ever since celebrated chef Sujan Sarkar opened his first restaurant, he’s been on a mission to show diners the breadth of Indian cooking. NADU in Chicago is his latest and shines a spotlight on regional Indian cooking, from small village homes to street food in big cities.
“This is not Indian cuisine, rather it’s cuisines of India,” says Sarkar of NADU’s menu, where each dish is labeled with its region of origin. “There are so many micro cuisines in India, and we want to showcase them in ways that are as close to their traditional form as possible.”
Chicagoans best know Sarkar as the chef behind River North’s MICHELIN-Starred Indienne, which melds Indian flavors with French techniques. And Sarkar has only kept building from there, showcasing India’s café culture at the Loop’s Swadesi, top-notch Middle Eastern food at Sifr, and he’s partnered with his brother Pujan Sarkar on an exciting Indian tasting-menu restaurant in SF. At Lincoln Park’s NADU, he’s bringing his vision to life with head chef Sanchit Sahu.
Read on for what to expect at NADU in Chicago, and book your seat on OpenTable.
What to eat
Get the most out of the concise menu of big and small plates at NADU by sharing (there’s a tasting menu in the works for when you return in the future and don’t want to decide). “We want to take the path where diners will have ideas about a few of the dishes and then some of them are new,” Sarkar says.
By that he means dishes like tender mutton bihari kabab, a favorite in the east Indian city of Patna, and crispy benne masala dosa from the southern Indian state of Karnataka that has a fragrant potato filling and coconut and tomato chutneys on the side.
The showstopping peppery Dungeness crab milagu fry from the southern Indian state of Kerala is a must. “You have to get your hands a little dirty but it’s delicious,” Sarkar says. And you’ll find familiar dishes like Delhi’s famed murgh makhani (butter chicken) but made with a non-traditional smoky sauce of pureéd red peppers and cashews. Pair it with the garlic naan to sop up every last bit. End on the elaneer payasam, a South Indian dessert that’s prepared like a coconut flan at NADU with a rose-infused cookie on top.
What to drink
Cocktails at NADU spotlight ingredients popular in India, too. The alcohol-free Gulaab pairs rose cordial with a housemade basil soda. The gin-based Haldi has a slight earthiness from turmeric, and the rum-based Kapi is an alcoholic take on the popular filter coffee preparation in southern India.
Wine novices will appreciate the user-friendly list from Indienne’s wine director Tia Politte that includes color-coded symbols to help guide your choices.
Where to sit
The interiors are just as transportive as the dishes on your plate. Rising Indian artist Abhay Sehgal, who studied in Chicago, created a massive mural that blends Indian royalty with Chicago culture. It’s the focal point of the 90-seat dining room that features two large chandeliers, green-leather booths, and rattan-accented chairs. For an intimate dining experience, ask for a cozy table underneath the second-floor mezzanine. Solo diners can perch up at the bar under golden-hued lighting.
When to go
It’s fun to be in the restaurant earlier in the evening when you can see the daylight dim from the restaurant’s floor-to-ceiling windows. Or come later in the evening when the energy picks up as larger groups gather for celebrations or just because. The restaurant is open Monday to Thursday from 5 pm to 9:30 pm and Friday and Saturday from 5 pm to 10:30 pm. Reservations open two months in advance on the 30th of the month at 12 am.
“People should come with an open mind,” Sarkar says. “Indian food doesn’t always have to be the same.”
Lisa Shames is a writer focused on travel and food culture in Chicago, IL. She has covered Chicago’s restaurant scene for publications including Eater Chicago, CS, Chicago Tribune, and Time Out and is the US contributor for Sogoodmag.
