“Listen! Do you want to know a “secret”, whoa, whoa, whoa!”

***** I am not one that travels out of their way to dine on the cuisine of  India. Over my years on the board of directors at the Devon Nortown Chamber of Commerce, I enjoyed many spicy meals on Devon Avenue. During my years of reporting on dining spaces in the greater Chicagoland area, I have found a few Indian restaurants where the curry was less flowing than others and the food was tasty. I now have been fortunate enough to have visited The Secret Kitchen in Schaumburg. It was fantastic, to say the least. Chef/founder Aanal Kotak is just opening her first  The  Secret Kitchen in America. She has ten  unique concepts in India, and Secret Kitchens in Australia and Canada, with more places in her sights.

I am sure that most of you are thinking that if in Schaumburg, it is no doubt in Woodfield Mall or that immediate area. Kotak has taken a different approach to her space. They are in a strip center on Schaumburg Road, just south and west of Schaumburg High School at 1411 Schaumburg Road with loads of free parking. Once you enter the dining space, greeted by the plants and Flamingos, you will forget that you are in a strip center, but feel as if you are in an elegant dining space. FYI The pelican represents the chef’s desire to be free and open spaces such as this all over the world. A great dream? I think, after meeting her and tasting her amazing food, this is a dream that will become a reality!

Kotak’s desire is to bring her artistry to the dining area and at the same time honor the tradition of her people and their culture, in a combination with the flavors that they love. Ours was what we call a tasting menu, designed to allow us a chance to try items that we might never order for ourselves. Jane and I were accompanied by friends Alan and Vickie, who have joined us on several dining features over the years. Here we were , four adults, none of whom truly went out of their way to go to an Indian restaurant, eating items we might never have experiences, and having a delightful experience.

Our server, Ishata, was very informational as she explained all of the items that we were going to sample. One of the things that I found of great import is the choices one can make. If you have a problem with spice, this is the perfect spot, as they will prepare your meal to perfection by having three different choices: very spicy ( typical Indian dining), medium spicy ( which we all found easy to dine on) and last but not least, very little spice ( keeping the flavor of the country, but allowing the meek diner to enjoy their meal. I must say the presentations were as beautiful as the food was tasty.

As you can see, a lot of items were tried, and enjoyed by all of us. Ishata explained every items served and changed our plates as the meal went on. I am not calling this a typical review, but rather a feature story as we tried so many items there is no way that I can go over each and every one. I will highlight the beauty of the staff and the surroundings. You will not feel that you are in a strip center on a busy street near a high school, but once you enter the doors, you will feel that you have either gone on a trip to India, or are in an exclusive dining space where you will be enjoying one of the finest dinners you have ever had!

RESERVATIONS & HOURS
The Secret Kitchen — the Indian saga is located at 1411 W. Schaumburg Rd., Schaumburg, IL. Hours: Sunday – Saturday Dinner: 5:30 PM to 10:30 PM. Lunch is planned for the future. Reservations are available online at https://thesecretkitchenusa.com/reservations/, on OpenTable or Clover, and by calling (630) 635-2854. For more information, visit https://thesecretkitchenusa.com  or send an email to info@thesecretkitchenusa.com. 

ABOUT THE SECRET KITCHEN
The Secret Kitchen — the Indian saga — is a Modern Indian fine dining restaurant founded by Celebrity Chef Aanal Kotak. Rooted in the culinary traditions of India’s royal kitchens and reimagined with contemporary technique and handcrafted spice blends, The Secret Kitchen currently operates locations across India (Vadodara, Ahmedabad, Rajkot, and Patan), Australia, Canada (Vaughan, Ontario), and the United States (Schaumburg, Illinois). Two additional restaurants are planned for Dubai and Mumbai.

I am anxious, and I have never been anxious to dine at an Indian restaurant before, to return, and try some of the items that were not part of today’s menu tasting. I can once again say, this was an experience to savor and a secret that will not remain a secret for that long. Luckily, there is another storefront rigth next door, so they can expand quickly.

“This is more than a restaurant — it is an invitation to experience the soul of India in a new way. My hope is that every guest who walks through our doors feels that story on their plate.”  — Chef Aanal Kotak, Founder, The Secret Kitchen