Nadu

- Grubbing in Chicago  
Regional Indian Food in Lincoln Park 

It's not too often that a new and trendy restaurant offers up one of the best dining deals in the city but that's exactly what Chef Sujan Sarkar and his team at Nadu are doing, in the heart of Lincoln Park at that. Nadu opened at 2518 N Lincoln Avenue this past May. It's a sister restaurant to Indienne - Chicago's only Michelin starred Indian restaurant. Nadu is a bit more casual with an ala carte menu though they're also offering a $55 tasting menu that I thought was well worth the price of admission. 

Recently Opened in Lincoln Park

Nadu labels itself as a "Regional Indian" restaurant meaning the menu features dishes from India's 28 states and 8 union territories. The city's Indian food scene has taken another step forward with it's opening as it wasn't long ago that pretty much every Indian restaurant in town served watered down versions of Northern Indian food often in buffet form. Nadu does just the opposite with beautifully presented plates of regionally focused Indian food. The menu is broken down into sharing plates and large plates with both vegetarian and non-vegetarian offerings. There's also a few sides and different breads and rice to pair with your main dishes. Normally it would take a few visits with a few people to try most of the menu but the $55 tasting menu allows you to try a nice chunk of the menu.  So we were told the portions would be a bit smaller but I not only left stuffed I left with a doggy bag that made for a great lunch the next day. It was such a good deal I'm not sure how long it will last in it's current iteration which includes fives courses with the option to add a 6th or even a 7th for $11 each. 

To Share: Papad and Chutneys (L) Dahi Bhalla (R)

Nadu is one of those spots where the pictures do as much justice to the food as any description I could give so I'm going to keep the rest of my review short and sweet by saying this was one of my favorite meals of the year thus far with everything being delicious. I enjoyed every dish from the starters to the dessert. Since I was with my wife I got to try all of her dishes too and there really wasn't a dud in the bunch. Even the Dal Makhani which we both chose as our side was outstanding - as good if not better than the version that made London's Dishoom so famous. In fact Nadu feels a bit like a London Indian restaurant in terms of both it's bold flavors and colorful aesthetics. Whatever you do in terms of the ordering I recommend getting the Nool Porotta ($6) to go with your meal- it's not an option with the tasting but the flaky and buttery flatbread pairs perfectly with the rich and smooth dal makhani and also Meen Gassi which is a regional curry from Mangalore that I thought was awesome. I appreciated the use of walleye as opposed to salmon or something else. Here's how it went down -

Hers: Mushroom Galawat (Lucknow) - 

Velvety mushroom kebab seasoned with traditional kebab masala, served on a saffron sheermal bread, accompanied by refreshing mint and cilantro chutney

His: Chicken Kalmi Kebab (Delhi) - 
Deboned Chicken thigh (Boti) marinated in hung curd, garam masala, black pepper , yellow chili powder; cooked in tandoor and served with Old Delhi style butter emulsion


Nool Porotta ($6) - 
Flaky and soft Kerala-style flatbread


Side (choose one): Dal Makhani -
Black lentils simmered with tomato, fenugreek and finished with cream and white butter

Supplement Course ($11): Prawn Balchao (Goa) - 
Shrimp cooked in a tangy masala with garlic, tomato, fermented chili paste and peppers, flavored with coconut vinegar, kokum and cinnamon

Supplement Course ($11): Benne Masala Dosa (Bangalore) -
Crisp and golden-brown on the outside with a soft, airy inside, this Dosa gets its signature flavor and texture from the generous use of white cultured butter ("benne" in Kannada), stuffed with a lightly spiced potato filling and served with traditional coconut chutney and thakali (tomato) chutney

Hers: Meen Gassi (Mangalore - Karnataka) - 

Walleye cooked in a rich coconut and tamarind curry, infused with dry chili, turmeric, and curry leaf

His: Beef Roast (Kerala) -
Beef short ribs double roasted in a shallot and coconut masala, flavored with black pepper, curry leaf and dry chili

His / Hers: Tutti Frutti Cassata (Mumbai) -
 Layers of vanilla sponge, mango ice cream, coffee ice cream and tutti frutti, finished with a sprinkle of toasted pistachio nougatine crumble

Nadu
2518 N Lincoln Ave
Chicago, IL 60614
(312) 590-5676
Website