Banda Nawaz Restaurant-- Villa Park

It was several months that Giallo recommended this restaurant in a strip mall near Oakbrook.

My favorite place in the area though is called Banda E Nawaz. It's in Oakbrook Terrace/Villa Park in a little strip mall with a White Hen on Summit between Butterfield and Roosevelt. The owner claims it has been there near two years, but I never noticed it until I recently when I was forced to use the laundromat in the mall. Everything on the menu is less than $4, including their Briyani which is the specialty of the house. I also enjoy their sandwiches which are all $2.50 or less.

We were out at the Container Store and the Borders near Oakbrook and decided this was the time to follow up on the recommendation. I'm sorry to report that prices have gone up since Giallo's report--now the sign in the window advertises that nothing is more than $5. But somehow we still managed to have a feast for $13--paratha, nihari, samosas, aloo palak and rice. The woman behind the counter was very helpful, explaining the entire menu item by item. I gather the restaurant is owned by the same people who own Ghareeb Nawaz on Devon.

She tried to steer me away from the nihari toward something milder, but we said we liked some heat so she let us order it. It was lip-tingling hot, but in a complex wonderful way, and the beef was as tender as the short-ribs we'd had the night before at Bistro Banlieue (and way more tender than the beef in the beef stew at Manny's on Friday--I've been eating well). My favorite, though, was the aloo palak. The potatoes were done but not mushy, the spinach was good, and the sauce was oily and spicy and great. I recommend either dish. We were surprised to find the samosas filled with beef. It's clearly Muslim (halal meat, posters up for a hajj) so maybe that explains it. They do have a window sign, however, that says that strictly vegetarian dishes are available.

It's mostly carry-out, but there are three oil-cloth covered tables under the tv showing Bollywood soap operas from a station in New Jersey. They also advertise that they serve Halwa Puri on weekends--10-2. I'd definitely check that out as well. (recipe and photo at http://www.pakwatan.com/main/pakwannew/ ... 333&Type=2)

Thanks Giallo and everyone who makes LTH possible. We never would have found this place on our own and it's a real treasure.


Banda Nawaz Restaurant
14th and Summit
Villa Park
630 889 0786

http://bandanawaz.com/

Ann,
I'm glad you like this place. I've been finding excuses to visit my parents in Oakbrook Terrace lately just so I can stop by Banda Nawaz on my way home and try something new from the menu. My wife loves the biryani, and for $3, the chicken biryani is a great deal. I usually can make two meals out of it. The level of heat varys batch by batch, but generally the biryani is on the spicier side. Other favorites are the chalpi kabab sandwich and the chilli chicken. I haven't gotten around to the nihari or aloo palak, but based on your recommendation, they'll move to the top of the list. The only disappointment on the menu so far has been the Chicken Korma. Perhaps I got a bad batch, but it was basically all sauce and chicken bone. Very little meat. This is usually not a problem at Banda Nawaz where I generally plan on making two meals out of whatever I get.

You are correct that the owners also run Ghareeb Nawaz. Apparently they have a third restaurant in Toronto as well.

We were out at the Container Store and the Borders near Oakbrook and decided this was the time to follow up on the recommendation. I'm sorry to report that prices have gone up since Giallo's report--now the sign in the window advertises that nothing is more than $5. But somehow we still managed to have a feast for $13--paratha, nihari, samosas, aloo palak and rice. The woman behind the counter was very helpful, explaining the entire menu item by item. I gather the restaurant is owned by the same people who own Ghareeb Nawaz on Devon.

Ah, that explains the prices Ghareeb Nawaz is similar in price - the cheapest
decent biryani around IMHO. And you can get their chicken nehari (not that
there should ever be a chicken nehari) for about 3 bucks IIRC.

She tried to steer me away from the nihari toward something milder, but we said we liked some heat so she let us order it. It was lip-tingling hot, but in a complex wonderful way, and the beef was as tender as the short-ribs we'd had the night before at Bistro Banlieue (and way more tender than the beef in the beef stew at Manny's on Friday--I've been eating well).

Hmm. Sounds good. Didnt think *that* much of Ghareeb Nawaz's nehari the
couple times I tried it - it was decent, good for the price, but not really as
good as Sabri's nehari for example (or Usmaniya's, also on Devon). The
beef ought to be even more tender than short-ribs, really - almost sort of
falling apart tender. Was it really that well done? That would be impressive -
usually Ghareeb Nawaz (and even Sabri etc) dont cook it for long enough
IMHO, would be nice if BandaNawaz actually does.

My favorite, though, was the aloo palak. The potatoes were done but not mushy, the spinach was good, and the sauce was oily and spicy and great. I recommend either dish. We were surprised to find the samosas filled with beef. It's clearly Muslim (halal meat, posters up for a hajj) so maybe that explains it. They do have a window sign, however, that says that strictly vegetarian dishes are available.

Thats probably a concession for the Indian patrons, some of whom might be
strict vegetarians (even GB has a few veggie dishes now). But samosas with
ground beef in em are not unusual at all IMHO - the samosas I grew up with
were *all* filled with meat, its the default for me Though the standard
samosa is potato-filled nowadays (even if you can actually get both kinds
in many spots on Devon nowadays - Tahoora, for instance, offers both
veggie and meat samosas).

It's mostly carry-out, but there are three oil-cloth covered tables under the tv showing Bollywood soap operas from a station in New Jersey. They also advertise that they serve Halwa Puri on weekends--10-2. I'd definitely check that out as well. (recipe and photo at http://www.pakwatan.com/main/pakwannew/ ... 333&Type=2)

Yes, GB also offers a Halwa-Puri - and it isnt bad. But if you want the best
such deal (and meal) in Chicagoland, IMHO you ought to make your way down
to Tahoora on Devon on the weekend. They have their Halwa-Puri breakfast
(also from when they open till about 1 or 2 pm IIRC) for 3 bucks, and it is
excellent. Three huge puris, chole's (chick-peas in thick spicyish gravy),
aloo's (potatoes, with cilantro and spices), raita, and a little halwa to
finish. Vegetarian, but an excellent breakfast nevertheless. I hear King
Sweet's does something similar and as good - but havent bothered to
try them, because Tahoora is so good there has been no need to experiment
in this regard.


c8w

c8w--wow, thanks for all the information. The real attraction of Banda Nawaz for me is that it's at least 30 minutes closer to my south Oak Park home than Devon, and thus in range for an impulse dinner.

And yes, the beef was falling-apart tender.

I know the owners of Ghareeb Nawaz and they clearly state that they have no other locations in Illinois. You are right about the restaurant in Toronto, though. Banda Nawaz is owned by people who probably tried to get some of the Ghareeb Nawaz profit.

I realize this ain't Chicagoland conversation anymore, but do you know the name of the Toronto restaurant ? That's where I'm stationed at the moment, and would be interested to know.

Thanks,