Khyber Pass Restaurant a Culinary Journey Through Pakistan and India

World Cuisine Today www.worldcuisinetoday.com August 4, 2017

If you are visiting the Chicago area, very close by is the suburb of Oak Park, Illinois. One restaurant which has stood the test of time for decades has been Khyber Pass Restaurant www.khyberpassrestaurant.com. Located in two locations, the original at: 1031 Lake Street, Oak Park, IL 60301 (708) 445-9032 and in the city of Chicago at: Khyber Pass Chicago 3113 Halsted St. Chicago IL. (773) 281-6070.

Mr. Malik Jawid, founder and CEO is an expert on the cuisine of Pakistan and India, especially the Khyber Pass which has a rich history as a trade route through many different empires and time periods. The result of this focus, is that the food is authentic and has the flavors of many cuisines from Pakistan, India, the Moghuls, Afghans and other Tribal peoples. The flavors are rich and while many think that Pakistani and Indian food is only in a highly spicy range, much is in a medium to even mild range of spice.

The menu of Khyber Pass Restaurant is quite extensive. Whether you are looking for a vegan, vegetarian or meat entree you will not be disappointed. Recently, Mr. Jawid has been featuring some special items on his menu. One weekend only special is the Karahi Gosht Lamb Shank Dinner. Karahi Gosht is a grilled lamb shank in warm spices, with sliced onions and a rich base simmered to perfection. It is traditionally eaten with an authentic rice pilaf with saffron, cardamom, spices, herbs, onion, and peas.

Some other gems to try at this magnificent restaurant are the Prawns Tikka Masala (prawns in a creamy tomato sauce with warm spices), Chicken Tikka Masala (chicken in a creamy tomato sauce with warm spices), and Karahi Gosht (cubes of lamb in lightly spiced thick gravy with onions, tomatoes and green peppers).

Khyber Pass specializes in two particular types of food preparation of the region, Tandoori style grilling and Dumbuc Khana which is steaming meat, fish, chicken, lentils, or cheese in a house made richly spiced gravy until it becomes a flavorful stew. Don't forget to try the excellent beverages such as house made smoothies, teas such as Chai tea, and a wide array of international beers, and wines. The restaurant also has some tasty desserts like their rice pudding, made from scratch pistacchio ice cream, and Gulab Jamun a creamy doughnut doused in honey served piping hot.

Stay tuned for more restaurant adventures from World Cuisine Today!

World Cuisine Today www.worldcuisinetoday.com July 19, 2017