India Post News Service

CHICAGO: Anuradha Sharma happened to be a Registered Nurse and was nursing sick people back to their normal health in a suburban hospital near Chicago for over a decade. She decided now to change gears and nurse the people in a different way - making them eat fresh and good quality food - so that they do not fall sick.

She picked up Indian Garden restaurant in Chicago Downtown and re-did everything- from furniture to paintings, décor, ambience and food- to meet her taste and give it a typical oriental look so that she could achieve her newly set goals in a quick and fast manner.An old adage says there is a woman behind every successful man.

The adage is true in this case in the opposite sense. Arun Sharma, an MBA from a Chicago University, wants to help his wife Anu Sharma to be a successful woman and would stand by her and behind her to help realize her dream and achieve her goal. Arun was in the hospitality business for over two decades managing five star hotels back home in India till mid- nineties. He migrated to Chicago to turn a new leaf. He worked up his way from a desk help to be an accountant and now manager with Four Points Sheraton near O'Hare.

He lends his moral support and business acumen to his wife in her new venture.Anu Sharma formally launched her newly done Indian Garden to the Chicago public recently at a gala banquet attended by 300 plus guests and elites from Chicagoland. It was nearly an all day event starting with Sharmas propitiating Lord Ganesh with the idol being beautifully dressed and kept near the door.

Guests and customers were treated like maharajas being served with a number of mouthwatering vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes - starting with appetizers- vegetable cutlets, aloo kachori and paneer kabob for vegetarians and lamb sheik kabob, chicken banjare and shrimp fill for non-vegetarians. The main course included vegetarian Dal Pnachora, Paneer Khurchand, Channa black Biryarni and Lahore Chana while non vegetarian dishes were Dum chicken Biryani, Chef special chicken Tikka Masala, and Bhunga gost. As if this was not enough, the dessert had Bharwa Khoya Gulab Jamun, Jarda rice and Atta ka Halwa.

This was accompanied with an entertainment program - Punjabi Bhangra and Bollywood dances. In a corner, there were Mehndi lessons and the kids had a field day too.In a talk to this paper, Anu said that the entire furniture, including curtains and other items, are gotten from India and the meeting room has been given an oriental look. Chefs -Mohammed Jehangir, Jagdish Kumar, Padam Bahadur- are highly experienced and professionals in their line.

"They are all inclined to utilize ancient traditional ingredients to anchor the menu dishes individually created to meet distinct tastes of the customers," she said. The motto of Indian Garden is Ateethi Devo Bhav - Guests are like Gods and "all our customers are honored guests," she added. Indian Garden could cater functions for as little as 100 and as big as 1000 plus people flawlessly because of its highly experienced chefs and caterers from India, Anu added.

The main course of Indian Garden will typically include Reshami Kabab to start with, Murg Tikka masala, sizzling Tandoori roasted chicken in a rich tomato-kissed sauce: Rogan Josh, lean long cooked lamb in a sauce spiked with cardamoms,, the Saffron fragrant Basmati rice and traditional Tandoori naan. All types of Lassi, Kulfi and choice deserts of Indian sweets would be a welcome addition.