Thirty years after opening India Oven, owner Raksha Devi Bhatti knows the recipe for success.
“The Tucson public likes us,” she said simply.
Indeed. The restaurant is tucked in a strip mall on Campbell Avenue north of Grant Road. And for three decades, diners have enjoyed the restaurant’s Northern Indian cuisine.
One regular customer recently enjoyed India Oven’s daily lunch buffet ($14.99), which is offered from 11 a.m. to 2:45 p.m.
“They have a good variety of foods that change a little from day to day,” said Jasmine Batra, who lives just a couple of miles from the restaurant. “I’ve been eating here for about five years … I haven’t eaten at all the Indian restaurants in town, but I like this one because I know I’ll always get food that’s really good.”
On one day, the buffet featured a variety of dishes, including beef vindaloo, chicken curry, samosas, tandoori chicken, rice and naan. The buffet also has salad, fruit and dessert.
In Arizona, 49% of women restaurateurs own at least 50% of a restaurant, according to the National Restaurant Association.
Bhatti — who moved here from Los Angeles in 1992 after visiting her brother — acknowledged that owning a restaurant can be difficult. She puts in long hours and works in some capacity at India Oven every single day.
“You have to open your eyes all the time for a restaurant,” she said.
According to the National Restaurant Association, nine in 10 U.S. restaurants employ fewer than 50 people. The seven employees who work at India Oven are all members of Bhatti’s family.
She noted the increased dining choices along Campbell Avenue, but is proud to say that India Oven is one of the oldest restaurants in the area.
“My food is totally different,” said Bhatti, who estimated there are now dozens of restaurants on Campbell as compared to just a handful in her early years of being open.
Bhatti was born in Punjab in Northern India on the border of Pakistan. Her menu focuses on Northern Indian dishes, where you’ll find lots of breads and curries.
Many of the Indian restaurants in Tucson focus on foods from the North — naan, rotis, samosas, curries such as palak paneer (spinach and cheese) and aloo gobi (potato and cauliflower).
Unlike South Indian cooking, which is based around rice, lentils and stews, North Indian entrees are made using lots of creams, sauces and meats. Although less spicy, North Indian food is still filled with spices that add lots of flavor and layers to every dish.
India Oven’s most popular dishes are chicken tikka masala ($14.99) and lamb vindaloo ($13.99). Tikka masala is a bright and flavorful Indian dish that’s smooth and velvety with a subtly spiced tomato-cream sauce. Boneless pieces of chicken are marinated in yogurt and spices and then roasted. Once roasted, the chicken is placed in a rich and spicy gravy that can be placed over rice or served with naan, a traditional flatbread that resembles pita, is made of wheat flour and butter combined and leavened.
The word vindaloo is a garbled pronunciation of the popular Portuguese dish carne de vinha d’alhos (meat marinated in wine-vinegar and garlic), which made its way to India in the 15th century along with Portuguese explorers. Vindaloo features hot, tangy and earthy flavors.
Samosas, which are a popular appetizer, are fried or baked pastries that are filled with savory ingredients. Samosas aren’t exclusive to North India and can be found in many local cuisines of Asia. Samosas can be filled with meat or vegetables, and may include chutneys for extra moisture and flavor.
While it’s easy to stick to the mainstay dishes, Bhatti noted two standouts on her menu that diners should try: Kahari chicken ($14.99), slow-cooked chicken with tomatoes and spices in a special iron wok, and chicken kashmiri ($13.99), chicken sauteed with spices, sweet bell peppers, fruit and nuts.
Batra, the recent buffet customer at India Oven, enjoys the vegetarian dishes on the restaurant’s voluminous menu. Under the vegetarian category on the menu, there are 23 entrees available ($12.99-$13.99). Overall, there are well over 100 dishes featured on India Oven’s book-like menu.
“I’m not a vegetarian, but I overall think that vegetarian entrees at Indian restaurants are a great way to eat lots of vegetables,” Batra said.
“The difference with Indian food is that the vegetables are full of flavor and not just boring and sauteed.”
India Oven
2727 N. Campbell Avenue, Tucson
520-326-8635,
www.tucsonindiaoven.com
11 a.m. to 2:45 p.m.
and 5 to 8:45 p.m. daily
