Psst… Roadmap to India

As James Beard once said, “Food is our common ground, a universal experience.” Visiting ethnic restaurants that feature heritage like no other, often times brings travel right to you. Without having to buy a plane ticket or suffering through travel time. Having lived in Denver for the past 12 years has shown me how one can ultimately achieve a unique gastronomic experience. Especially when one’s looking for new flavors from the far-flung suburbs to the bustling Downtown.

Even though it is known for it’s exotic spices and flavorful dishes, Indian cuisine is frequently identified with a few tried and trusted dishes, which tend to constantly reappear. The likes of Tikka masala, a mild dish with a tomato base, with either Paneer (cottage cheese) or chicken, Saag, a moderately spiced spinach curry with chicken, paneer, or an assortment of veggies with Naan, the ever so popular flatbread and the mildly flavored pulao. Despite the popularity of these dishes, they only represent a small portion of Indian cooking.

With true spice and flavor lacking, it is no wonder why when a Indian family moved here, after living all over Canada, they had had enough. They were simply tired of seeing these overused dishes on every menu in town, and that is why they ventured on to open their very own, Jai Ho and Khazana.

Sathya and Sujatha Narayan settled on opening in the heart of Aurora, Lone Tree and Boulder. These joints became an extension of all that they had hoped for in a restaurant, highlighting dishes from North India, South India, and everywhere in between, the menu itself serving as a roadmap for the whole of India.

Sathya and Sujatha managed to whip up an entire menu which makes a pit stop at all the different regions, the universally popular dishes from punjab and north India, the four states of southern India along with with food from the Indo-Chinese category, a hybrid featuring Chinese with Indian flavors, and some of the delicacies found on the streets of Mumbai.

 

 

 

While the menu opens up all these new doors to venture in, with the help of the polite and attentive staff, one can tailor their meal according to their preferences. One instance is the daily lunch buffet that features a variety of dishes to try.

One great Indo-Chinese favorite is the Lollipop Chicken, frenched chicken is sautéed in spicy sauce based with Schezuan and Red Chili Pepper, as well as embellished with a few indian spices for further marination and flavor.

From the classics that we all know of like naan, to the more unique dishes like dosa, a south indian dish that can be basically explained as a super thin, crispy, savory crepe, Khazana has it all. When looking for new insight into Indian Cuisine, Khazana is a must-go.

 

 

Khazana – Indian Cuisine

9234 Park Meadows Dr, Lone Tree, CO 80124

Monday-Friday 11:30am -2:30pm & 5:30pm -9:30pm

Saturday & Sunday 12:00pm -3pm  & 5:30pm -9:30pm

Lunch Buffet on all days!

Take Out Buffet Special for only $7.49 which includes a small drink.