Indian Restaurant Opens in Worldgate

By Dayna-Marie Jackson
July 24-30, 2002
The Herndon Connection

Supper Club of India opened last week at Worldgate Shopping Center, welcoming all those who love or are curious about tasting Indian cuisine. Owner Naresh Advani, a native East Indian entrepreneur with 27 years of hotel and restaurant experience, brings Indian food again to Herndon – once with Harvest of India, an Indian restaurant in the K-Mart Shopping Center, and now with Supper Club of India to Worldgate only ten blocks away.

Supper Club of India was "very tough to put together" Advani commented – taking more than seven months due to the remolding of the former restaurant "Skyline Buffet" that originally occupied the building.

"I thought we should give Herndon something different," said Advani, "Supper Club emphasizes the royalty of India."

Indeed he does with servers who sport tuxedo-style white shirts with black slacks and black polished shoes – waiting on every customer's every need from delivering to each table Naan, Indian style bread to offering the guests drinks such as Mango Lassi, a sweet mango drink.

Framed photographs of kings, queens, princes and princesses cover the walls bringing what Advani calls ambiance and royalty to Herndon. "These photographs were not easy to obtain." Advani said, "It took me months to locate the authentic proof and original photos of royalty representing the Mongol and British periods." Advani's favorite photograph dating back to the 1900s depicts the passage way out of Bombay, and Advani equates this gateway of India to our monument in Washington, D.C. "A very historical place," said Advani.

Originally from Bombay and a family of 250 Indian chefs, Issak and Farid Qureshi, traveled across two continents to the East Coast to bring their signature dishes of North Indian cuisine such as the appetizer, Shammi Kabab – minced seasoned lamb patties; Lobster Angara – shelled lobster marinated in red masala and finished in a Tandoor; Akabari Lamb Chaamp Masala – Tandoori lamb chops delicatedly spiced and finished in a rich tomato and brown gravy.

All these dishes are special as manager of Supper Club and former manager of Harvest of India, Patrick Lazarus said, "The difference is the way of preparation and the spices they use – very traditional, homemade spices, which you don't get at any other Indian restaurant. Even the desserts are homemade."

Not only did Advani desire the best iNdian food possible, but he asked Lazarus, to manage Supper Club of India because of his continued leadership and management skills. Johnny Azim also followed Advani to Supper Club after working as a waiter at Harvest of India for six years. The staff of waiters, waitresses and bartenders went through a training on and off in the course of one and one-half months, and finished a two-week training session right before the opening o the restaurant. Steve Miranda, a new employee commented, "I am ready to give my best to make this restaurant a success."

When asked the difference between the two restaurants, Lazarus said, "Harvest has simplicity in design and decor, but the Supper Club has upscale decor, extravagant colors and upholstery." Azim commented, "Everything is custom made – for example, all the chairs are from Belgium."

"This restaurant is in a class of its own," said Lazarus, "Guests hae gone to many Indian restaurants and in the whole of Northern Virginia they have never seen an Indian restaurant like this."

During Supper Club's Lunch Buffet that includes different dishes from the menue every day, customer Joelle Bauer of Herndon commented, "The food is fabulous and the servers are attentive and polite."

"The restaurant represents India's beautiful atmosphere; I love the culture," said customer Larry DeLeon of Herndon. When asked where they heard about the restaurant, several customers responded, "We work across the street." Wally Welham, one of those customers, said, "This is a good addition to Worldgate – first-class all the way around."

Faithful Harvest of India customers since 1999, Stephany Gordon and Dave VanAlstyne, of Herndon, commented, "Definitely the same quality but more side dishes on the buffet. The ambiance and decor is much more upscale. We will come back repeatedly." Joelle Bauer as she exited the Supper Club said to the wait staff, "You guys make me want to come back for dinner."

Prices at the Supper Club range from $3.95 to $7.95 for appetizers; with separate categories: Tandoor, chicken, seafood, lamb, veggies and rice, prices range from $8.95 to $21.95; signature Indian bread ranging from $1.95 tyo $3.50 and homemade desserts ranging frmo $3.95 to $4.50. The Supper Club offers North Indian cuisine from saffron flavored boneless chicken breast finished in a clay oven to Tandoori lambchops delicately spiced and finished in a rich tomato and brown gravy. A different Lunch Buffet menu is served daily for $8.95 Monday through Friday and $9.95 Saturday and Sunday from 11 :30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. featuring the Qureshi's cuisine that is as guest Sandra Waters, visiting from South Carolina said, "absolutely delicious," and supper is served from 5:30 p.m. to 10 p.m., Monday through Sunday.

Copyright 2002 Herndon Connection