Chefs Credited for Herndon Indian Restaurant's Flair

By Jeannie Baumann
August 23, 2002
The Herndon Observer

After 10 years of running Harvest of India in the Herndon Centre, Naresh Advani decided to bring his expertise to the other side of town.

"This side of Herndon neds a good Indian restaurant," said Advani, who is also a resident of Herndon.

The Supper Club of India, specializing in northern Indian and Moghali cuisine, opened up about a month ago at the Worldgate Centre. With almost three decades of international experience as a restaurateur, Advani said the Supper Club of India distinguishes itself by offering a fine selection of cuisine.

He noted that many of the dishes are unique to his restaurant, such as lobster angara – a shelled lobster marinated in red masala and finished in a Tandoor – and baingan lajawab, a baby eggplant stuffed with cottage cheese, dry fruits and finished in brown gravy.

He credits his chefs, two of whom come from the Qureshi family, a family with generations of chefs, with the uniqueness of the restaurant's dishes.

"The recipes are different," he said, noting that several of the dishes offered come from exclusive family recipes. "The food is unique. For example, we have a lamb chop masala that is griled in the oven and cooked in an onion and tomato sauce with exotic spices."

The food also has an elegant presentation, such as the lines of cumin, chili powder and mint outlines in a checkered pattern on top of yogurt.

The Supper Club also offers a lunch buffet, and Advani said the selection changes daily.

Advani said he wanted to create an elegant dining atmosphere and spent six months revamping the space. He installed mahogany panels, tables and bar, with a selection of rich colors such as maroon and purple to decorate the restaurant with off-white and ivory accents. Each table is decorated with embossed white placemats, and a jewel-laden treasure chest and a bronze elephant greets customers at the door.

The walls are decorated with original portraits of Indian royalty, and Advani explains that he wanted to depict some of India's major ruling periods: the Maharajas, or Hindu kings, the Moghal rulers and the British empire.

"I wanted to create a nice place to eat Indian food," he said.

The Supper Club of India is located at 13055 Worldgate Drive. Call 703-736-0466.

Copyright 2002 Herndon Observer