Nadu — Restaurant in Lake View Township

For my wife's birthday, we decided to dine at Nadu Chicago, the latest venture by Michelin-starred Chef Sujan Sarkar. Given its recent opening and growing popularity, we made our reservation well in advance to ensure a spot

Located in Lincoln Park, Nadu offers ample street parking, which was a pleasant surprise. Upon arrival, we were promptly greeted and seated. We did request a change in seating, but the staff seemed a bit hesitant to accommodate. Nevertheless, we proceeded without pressing the issue.

The interior is thoughtfully designed, featuring a captivating painting titled "The Chicago Durbar," which beautifully intertwines elements from both Chicago and Indian cultures. The spacious layout and artistic touches set a welcoming tone for the evening.

The drink menu is creatively crafted, drawing inspiration from traditional Indian ingredients. I chose the "Til," an old-fashioned infused with sesame, while my wife opted for the "Aam," a concoction of raw mango and tequila. Unfortunately, both drinks didn't meet our expectations. The sesame flavor in the Til was overpowering, and the Aam lacked balance. Later, I tried their non-alcoholic cream soda, hoping for a better experience, but it too fell short. While the innovative approach is commendable, perhaps a focus on more traditional flavors might resonate better with patrons.

We began our meal with three appetizers:

Dahi Bhalla: This dish was a standout. As aficionados of North Indian street food, we found it to be one of the best we've ever had. The flavors were authentic and perfectly balanced.

Irani Keema: A delightful blend of minced beef and peas, this dish evoked nostalgic memories of our childhood. It was hearty and flavorful.

Porks: While the tamarind flavor was pronounced, the dish didn't quite hit the mark for us. It was decent but lacked the depth we anticipated.

For the main course:

Mudhi Mansha (Goat Curry): Presented with puffed rice on top, the visual appeal was somewhat diminished. The puffed rice didn't add much to the flavor profile. However, the curry itself was rich and paired well with rice.

Kerala Beef Roast with Nool Porotta and Rice: Being South Indian, I had high hopes for this dish. The beef roast was average, lacking the robust flavors typical of Kerala cuisine. On the other hand, the Nool Porotta was soft and well-prepared.

We concluded our meal with the Apricot Delight. While the presentation was elegant, the dessert was not as sweet as we expected, offering a more subdued end to our dining experience.

Our evening at Nadu was a mix of highs and lows. The appetizers, especially the Dahi Bhalla, showcased the kitchen's potential. However, the drinks and some main courses didn't quite align with our expectations. The ambiance and artistic elements added a unique charm to the restaurant. A thoughtful touch was the provision of a box with saunf (fennel seeds) at the end, a nod to traditional Indian dining customs.

We hope this feedback is taken constructively. With some refinements, Nadu has the potential to establish itself as one of Chicago's premier Indian dining...

Congratulations Nadu! You killed it! on most of the offerings! We arrived ahead of our 8:30 reservation. And were seated at the bar to wait till our table was ready. The restaurant wasn’t packed but It was likely a logistics decision. Drinks: Aam: I thought it didn’t hit the Aam panna taste, but my husband happily loved it. Haldi: I had this gorgeous drink on the bartenders recommendation. It was so nostalgic, so well executed. Til: Reminded me of Tilgul at Makar sankrant, beautiful take on Old fashioned. I’ve come up with a jaggery old fashioned. And this sesame-washed version is it. Kokum(NA): Tastes exactly like Kokum Sarbat. All the drinks were very well balanced and well mixed, so cohesive.

Small plates: Benne Dosa: The bartender said I know you’ve had it, it’s common, but try it. Wow. If you’ve had the best Malleshwaram Dosa at Carnatic Cafe in India, this is that and even better. Wow. Chutneys omg. Mushroom Galoti: 100/10. 🤌🏼 Not only does this taste like the best Galoti Kebabs you can find in Delhi, it’s vegetarian! My mind is totally blown. I was in shock, but a happy gastronomic shock. Prawn Balchao: 10/10 taste. The head part of the prawn was so yummy and buttery I have never had anything like this. Ribs: the meat was tender and juicy. I think the tamarind flavor can be toned down a little bit or have less sauce in the ribs. It was great it wasn’t mind blowing.

Great execution on all the small plates! Mains: Dal Bhat: no notes. Parotta: no notes. Tomato Pappu: Loved it, husband thought it was a bit too tangy because of the cherry tomatoes. But I believe that is the essence of pappu. I’ve never had a aunthentic pappu, only the average daals so I thought it was great with the yellow tomatoes. The red ones were a bit tooo tangy. Still would give 10/10. Mudhi Mansha: I wish this dish is taken off the menu. Most people who are not used to and specifically prefer this preparation with Kala masala, will not like it. I loved seeing Oriya representation. But a mustard Patrapoda would have been such a great alternative with Fish or Chicken. Or a Maharashtra Nagpuri Saoji mutton.

Desserts: Casatta: wow, again, actually amazing and I didn’t think I’d ever see that name again but what an amazing blast from the past. Payasam Flan: Flan that is Payasam flavor, and the best rose cookie you have ever had. What a great applause worthy execution on this. 👏 This is by far the only Indian restaurant in the U.S. that has got me sooo excited! I’ve tried Michelin Indian restaurants on both the coasts, and neither were packing authentic Indian flavor to this extent. Sooo impressed! Thank you for this meal and bringing true regional Indian cuisine across the ocean!

Can’t wait to visit again and try more things on the menu!

The service is still working through some kinks, and I’m sure will be up and running smoothly in no time. Our server was kind and friendly and did not...

Service: As recommended by our server for our group of four, we had 4 sharing plates and 3 entrees with rice and naan, which was more than plenty of food; almost excessive and unnecessary. We were asked to place an order for all the food at once in the beginning. On second thoughts we could have easily managed with 2 of each. Also, while the server was professional, the service was far from perfect. We had hair in our plate of food, and the lack of attention to water refills was bothersome. We were perhaps expecting much more from the service but all we got was average at best.

Drinks: The drinks were good but none memorable enough to mention.

Food: Shareable plates: Mushroom Galawat and Paneer Ghotala were incredible and the flavor was on point. Bihari kabab was delicious but lacked texture. While Aritha Pundi lacked a depth of flavor and wouldn’t recommend at all. The green chutney along with some of these dishes were the best we ever had. A strong start to the meal. Entrees: Jackfruit Kosha was the star and had the right flavors. Would go back for this dish alone. Absolute favorite!! Beef roast on the other hand was average. Trilokah on Clybourn is a better spot! The absolute disappointment was the Vegetable Moilee which came recommended but was watery and lacked flavor. No way we could have that with Nool parotha as mentioned in the menu. Had to get rice to pair with it.

Ambience: The restaurant has a pleasant blend of Indian and American culture incorporated in to the ambience. The slightly louder than normal music didn’t help to have conversations across the table.

Lastly, we would come back for a second time but now we are better armed with what to get and more importantly what not to get. Nadu gives a vibe that it aims to get a Michelin star soon but in reality it has a few ways to go. There a few things that it does exceptionally well and others it lacks...