Weekday lunch thali
Two curries, dal, rice, roti, raita, and dessert on a steel plate.
On Glenwood since 2012
Two kitchens, one for the tandoor, one for dosa
North Indian curries and breads from a clay tandoor fired every morning, plus a South Indian griddle turning out dosas to order. Not a fusion of both.
14 yrson Glenwood
2kitchens, north and south
$14weekday lunch thali
Dailytandoor fired
What we serve
Both halves of the country on one menu
Spice is adjustable on curries. Dosas and biryani are cooked to order.
Masala dosa
Fermented batter griddled to order, potato masala, sambar and two chutneys.
Hyderabadi dum biryani
Layered and sealed, cooked forty minutes to order, chicken or vegetable.
Butter chicken
Tandoor cooked chicken in a tomato and cream gravy, mild by default.
Tandoori breads
Naan, roti, kulcha, and laccha paratha out of the clay oven all service.
Vegetarian and vegan mains
About half the menu, with clearly marked vegan options cooked in oil not ghee.
Our kitchen
Two chefs who trained in different parts of India
Kesari runs two lines because North and South Indian cooking use different equipment and different hands. The tandoor is lit each morning and stays hot through both services, and the dosa griddle is separate so batter never sits waiting. Spice blends are ground in house weekly rather than bought pre mixed.
•Masalas ground in house every week
•Vegan dishes cooked in oil with separate pans, not ghee
•Biryani made to order in forty minutes, never held on a steam table
Reviews
What our guests say
“The dosa is the real thing, crisp all the way to the center, and the sambar is not sweet. I grew up in Chennai and I am picky.”
Lakshmi V., Morrisville
“Ordered the dum biryani and waited forty minutes as warned. Worth every minute, the rice was separate and the meat was on the bone.”
Greg N., dine in
“They took our vegan request seriously, separate pan, no ghee, no cream, and it still tasted like something rather than a compromise.”
Hallie B., vegan diner
FAQ
Ordering questions
How spicy is medium here?
Medium is genuinely medium, noticeable heat that does not overwhelm the dish. Hot is what most of our Indian guests order and Indian hot is a step past that. Curries can be adjusted, but biryani and dosa fillings are cooked to a set spice level and cannot be changed once started.
Do you have vegan options that are actually vegan?
Yes, and they are marked on the menu. Vegan orders are cooked in oil in a separate pan with no ghee, cream, yogurt, or paneer, and the naan is replaced with roti since our naan contains dairy. Please say vegan when ordering rather than no dairy so the kitchen uses the right process.
Why does the biryani take so long?
Dum biryani is layered raw and sealed, then cooked for about forty minutes so the rice absorbs the steam from the meat below it. Holding it on a warmer, which is how most restaurants serve it fast, turns the rice to paste. If you are in a hurry, order it when you sit down or call ahead.
Can you handle nut and gluten allergies?
Cashew paste is used in several gravies and wheat is in all tandoori breads except the papadum. We can prepare many dishes without either, but this is a busy shared kitchen and we will be honest about the risk for severe allergies. Tell us when you order so the kitchen can plan rather than react.
Contact
Visit or order ahead
Takeout is usually ready in twenty minutes, longer for biryani. Call for parties over eight so we can pace the kitchen.
Phone(919) 555-0166
Address6420 Glenwood Avenue, Raleigh, NC 27612, Raleigh, North Carolina
HoursDaily 11:30am to 2:30pm and 5pm to 9:30pm, lunch thali weekdays only
AreaRaleigh, Cary, Morrisville, and North Hills, delivery within eight miles