Dhanteraz Indian Fusion

 -Grubbing in Chicago  
An Indian BYOB in Roscoe Village

I've been hooked on South Asian food ever since my first visit to London back in September of 2024. Then I returned to London last month (report coming soon) and became even more hooked. London isn't solely responsible for my love but it drove up an interest in all things Indian Cuisine and beyond. The truth of it is Indian food is much better in London than it is anywhere in the States but the gap has been closed over the last five years or so as Indian food is having a moment in NYC and other places across the country too including Chicago. There was a time when Indian food in the States was mostly associated with buffets but those days are in the past similar to how Italian food or Mexican food are no longer associated the same way they once were. Indian food is becoming mainstream as evidenced at Dhanteraz Indian Fusion which opened up in Roscoe Village right around the new year.  

Recently Opened in Roscoe Village

I had been hearing good things about Dhanteraz from people who's palettes I trust but it took me a few rounds to convince Erica to give it a try with me (we continue to frequent Kama for our fix). Although the name implies that it's Indian fusion food there's really only a few dishes that I would place into that category including a couple of pasta options made with tiki and butter masala. The rest of the menu is pretty straight forward Northern Indian classics sprinkled with a few Indo-Chinese options and vindaloo too. We visited on a Saturday night and brought some spirits with us as Dhanteraz is BYOB. We arrived to a lively dining room where all of the tables were filled showing the popularity of this place on the weekends (reservations recommended). We started with the onion pakora which are served in a similar fashion to the onion chips at Superdawg so no complaints there as these were a more spiced up version of an old favorite. The chili mushrooms came recommended after our waitress asked us if we like spicy dishes and they really do bring the heat with these medium sized button mushrooms stir fried with bell peppers and tossed in a highly spiced red chili glaze. 

Onion Pakora / Chili Mushrooms

Everybody has their go-to dishes when it comes to gauging the kitchen at an Indian restaurant like this. For us that's the Dal Makhani and the garlic naan. The former should be rich and creamy and really well seasoned and neither too thick nor too thin. The Dal Makhani at Dhanteraz passed all those inspections and I would happily get it again. I like my garlic naan both soft and chewy but also crisp and crunchy in some parts but this version fell a bit short. That said you cant have one without the other so it still served it's purpose as a delivery vehicle for the dal. I just wish it was a bit thinner.

Dal Makhani and Garlic Naan at Dhanteraz Indian Fusion

Lots of the online reviews make note of the namesake Dhanteraz claypot biryani which I had also heard good things about from the people whom I can actually put a face to their reviews. This was a very nice bowl of rice that can easily feed two if not three to four with a few other dishes included. My lamb biryani arrived piping hot covered in a golden baked crust that releases a fantastic fragrance when removed. The rice was steamed perfectly to a slightly chewy texture with none of it sticking together. The medium spiced option was not mild by any means and my only real complaint was that the lamb could've been cut into smaller more bite sized pieces and some of those pieces also could've been a tad more tender. But you can also get it with chicken, shrimp or vegetarian. If you’re looking for a BYOB stop and you like spicy and well seasoned food then give this family run spot a shot - but remember it's best to make a reservation ahead as it’s relatively small and really popular.

Dhantarez Claypot Biryani

Dhanteraz Indian Fusion
2116 W Roscoe St
Chicago, IL 60618
(773) 799-8585
Website