Siddiq Ashraf knows there’s a local demand for authentic Pakistani cuisine.
It’s something he said he’s noticed himself while living in the Kansas City area. If he wants to find his favorite Pakistani dishes, he said, he’s used to traveling out of the area for them.
But what he didn’t know was just how many people in Johnson County felt the same way.
During the opening of his new restaurant, Tandoori Grill, in Lenexa last month, customers consistently formed a line out the door.
“A lot of people were missing the back-home feeling — the authentic taste and flavors we have,” he said. “The support the community has given is amazing.”
Tandoori Grill opened at 12247 W. 87th St. Parkway
- The restaurant took over a space just off 87th and Monrovia streets, near Pak Halal International Foods and Chinese restaurant Moon Wok.
- Queen of Mediterranean Kitchen previously occupied that space.
- Tandoori Grill is open 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday, and 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. (for lunch) and 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. (for dinner) Saturday and Sunday.
Tandoori Grill serves “authentic” Pakistani cuisine
During weekdays, customers can order off Tandoori Grill’s menu at the counter. On weekends, the restaurant offers a brunch buffet from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
All of the meat dishes at Tandoori Grill are prepared with halal, hand-slaughtered meat.
So far, the most-ordered item at Tandoori Grill is the chicken chatkahara (spicy barbecue-grilled chicken). Other dishes on the menu include biryanis, beef korma, palak paneer and chicken tikka masala.
“We have people coming from out of the state, from bigger states like Texas, and they said they have not even eaten the same taste in Texas,” he said. “That was a huge compliment.”
Ashraf aimed to create a sense of community
When it came to location, Ashraf said he chose Lenexa in part for its centrality to the Kansas City area’s Pakistani and Desi communities.
In just Tandoori Grill’s first three days open, Ashraf said, the restaurant served roughly 1,000 customers.
Ashraf said he’s excited by the sheer numbers, but also because it means his restaurant is already building community.
Friends and family members have already run into each other by coincidence at the restaurant, he said, and strangers have gotten to know each other while sitting at tables next to each other. To Ashraf, that’s a good sign.
“Food brings everybody together,” he said. “This is what we wanted to see. And so far, we have succeeded.”
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