Sanjeev Pandey has seen a lot of changes since he first opened Indian Harvest restaurant in Naperville in 1998.
“At that time there were very good Indian restaurants but they were centered in big cities,” Pandey said. “I saw that as an opportunity to take this cuisine — which is still unraveling in the United States — to the suburbs. They weren’t being served very well with Indian cuisine.”
After moving to the U.S. from India in 1992, Pandey worked in San Francisco and then settled in Chicago in 1995. It was while managing an Indian restaurant on Devon Avenue that he and two chefs decided to venture out on their own.
They quit their jobs and opened Indian Harvest on Ogden Avenue in 1998. In 2003, Pandey bought his partners’ shares of the business and joined forces with current co-owner, Anu Hora.
In 2008, they moved from the original location about a mile to the Cress Creek Square Shopping Center where they have been delighting diners ever since.
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We sat down with Pandey to learn more.
What’s on the menu? There is something for everyone at Indian Harvest, which includes a large menu filled with northern Indian cuisine as well as eastern and northwest regional cuisine. Over the past 20 years Pandey has made some changes while maintaining customer favorites. Along with vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options, there are many lamb, seafood and chicken dishes as well as a full “Halka Phulka” section of lighter dishes with fewer calories.
About the owners: Aurora residents Sanjeev Pandey and Anu Hora own Indian Harvest. “I’ve developed very deep connections with our guests over the past 20 years,” Pandey said. “It has been so rewarding to be part of this community.”
Mission statement or philosophy: “Let people experience something authentic and pair it with a good selection of wine and beer and other amenities, like a banquet facility and patio seating,” Pandey said. “We present simple, healthy cuisine that is enjoyable.”
Decor: Indian Harvest has an upscale atmosphere with white table cloths and cobalt blue stemware. There are Indian artifacts, decorative screens and artwork throughout as well as private rooms and dining nooks for gatherings big and small.
Food specialties: Tandoori is a style of Indian cooking using a tandoor, a cylindrical clay oven fired to a high heat by wood or charcoal. Indian Harvest offers many tandoori options, from lamb, chicken and seafood to breads like their specialty naan. The gosht chop is popular, and includes four lamb chops carved from a rack of lamb that have been marinated in a blend of spices then cooked in the tandoor. Another favorite is the fish tikka, pieces of Atlantic salmon marinated in mustard powder, ginger-garlic paste and cooked in tandoor.
We’re different because: Cooking with a clay oven is a very old art, Pandey said, and that makes Indian Harvest stand out. Also, everything is made to order and they are able to accommodate guests’ special requests and dietary needs.
Extras: They offer carry out and delivery and are able to cater weddings, graduations, birthdays and business functions at the restaurant or at the location of your choice. They offer a full bar and patio seating when the weather is nice. They also accept reservations.
Price range: Appetizer range from $4-$11, lunch buffet is $12 (all you can eat). Vegetarian entrees range from $9.95-$12.95, Harvest dinners from $15.95-$20.95, rice specialties from $3.95-$10.95, lamb from $13.95-$20.95, chicken from $10.95-$14.95, seafood from $14.95-$21.95, breads from $2- $4. Desserts from $4-$7.
Logistics: Indian Harvest is located at 796 Royal St. George Drive, Naperville. They are open for lunch from 11:30 a.m.-2:15 p.m. Mondays-Fridays and noon-2:45 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Dinner is served 5-9:45 p.m. Sundays-Thursdays and 5-10:15 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. Call 630-579-9500 or go to www.theindianharvest.com.