Clay Oven Indian Cuisine now open for business in St. Joseph
By Cameron Montemayor
Restaurant enthusiasts in St. Joseph can now add authentic Indian cuisine to their menu of culinary destinations.
Clay Oven Indian Cuisine officially opened its doors for business Wednesday at 1209 N. Belt Highway in St. Joseph, making it one of the first authentic Indian restaurants to call St. Joseph home.
“It’s not just a restaurant … This is my dream … Good food and a good peaceful environment,” head employee Amandeep Kaur said.
Owner and head chef Sukhdev Singh is thrilled to spice up the local restaurant scene and introduce their diverse menu of Indian dishes to the community after operating a popular food truck in Fallon, Nevada, for many years. The veteran chef of 22 years has cooked in restaurants from Rome, Italy, to New Orleans.
Clay Oven has seen strong business in just a few days of being open. In addition to signature entrees like butter chicken, tikka masala, lamb korma and aloo gobhi, Kaur said two dishes in particular have received very positive reviews.
“Garlic chicken and coconut curry. A lot of people like this and yes, we want to introduce them … because I know people eat at (popular) places,” she said.
A combination of aromatic spices like cumin, coriander, cardamom and turmeric help create the savory flavor for many of their popular food items. The menu includes a variety of vegetarian entrees to go along with four different types of naan bread, a staple of Indian food.
Kaur is constantly seeking feedback from customers to create the best experience possible. She’s gotten a few hints that what they’re doing thus far is paying off.
“Some people eat food and then suddenly they order more … So they’ll eat here and (have more) to go home with his family,” Kaur said with a smile.
The restaurant is open Tuesday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and again from 5 to 9:30 p.m. Meals average $15-$20 and are cooked fresh to order, a point of emphasis and pride for Kaur and Singh.
“We make everything fresh,” Kaur said. “It’s worth that to ultimately get the best quality. Best quality because the fresh food … people know that this is fresh.”
The former food truck turned restaurant offers not only a taste of Indian cuisine but a vibrant atmosphere decorated with Indian culture. With limited space at their previous food truck, the new restaurant gave them the opportunity to create a home away from home for the first time.
“This is a pleasure to have authentic Indian culture. So this feels like home,” Kaur said. “We are so excited to meet with the community, the St. Joseph community. So everyone (has) supported us and we are so busy also. So thank you so much.”
A website and full menu can be found at clayovenindiancuisinestjoe.com.
