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Amar India

Dayton at Work and Play: Surjit SIngh Mattu

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Surjit Singh Mattu plays a part in one of our holiday traditions. When our daughters and their families come back to Dayton they must have at least one meal from his restaurant, Amar India (2751 Miamisburg Centerville Road). Amar was a favorite of our daughters when they were young. They’ve eaten in many other Indian restaurants since leaving home, but when they are in Dayton they must return to Amar.

During my last visit to the restaurant I learned a little about Mr. Mattu. He came to Dayton in 1984. He chose Dayton because his brother-in-law was teaching at U.D. and he wanted to be close to family.

 

When he first came to the U.S. from India, Mr. Mattu was an electrician. But he started to work in restaurants on the side and liked it. He opened Amar India in 1991 and now also owns two other Indian restaurants in Dayton – one in Beavercreek and one on Miller Lane, north of downtown.

On the wall at Amer India there is a newspaper article about Mr. Mattu. I love what he said when the newspaper asked what advice he would give to other immigrant business owners.

“You must adapt and embrace the culture you are in now. Make it better by incorporating the culture you brought in. That’s the real America. America is a better and prosperous nation because different cultures created an awesome society.”

Amar India

At Amar India Restaurant, we believe that a buffet is often the best way to get acquainted with a new cuisine, as compared to going for the a la carte option. Our buffet services are available 7 days a week.

2751 Miamisburg Centerville Rd.
Dayton, Ohio 45459

(937) 439-9005

Amar India North Restaurant

7070 Miller Ln
Dayton, OH 45414
Phone: 937-387-6505

Hours:

Monday to Thursday
Lunch: 11:30 AM – 2:00 PM
Dinner: 5:00 PM – 10:00 PM
Friday and Saturday
11:30 AM – 10:00 PM
Sunday
12:00 PM to 9:00 PM

Also visit their sister restaurant:

Jeet India

2750 North Fairfield Road
Beavercreek, OH 45431
[Across from Fairfield Commons Mall, next to Chilli’s]
 937-431-8881

10?’s with Surjit Singh Mattu ofAmar India

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surjitEver since Surjit Singh Mattu was a young man in northwestern India he has had a business and numbers based mind set.  It is this mindset which has continually propelled the quick learning chef to success in American busines

 

Originally an electrician, Surjit Singh Mattu left India in 1981 and arrived in Boston, Massachusetts where he started to pursue and explore a career in the restaurant business.  He has always enjoyed cooking and this culinary experience helped him begin to learn and develop his own taste.  This was the beginning of what would be a largely successful career.  After living in Boston he had moved to Houston for a period and then in 1984 he packed and moved to Dayton to move closer to his sister and her husband, Dr. Sandhu of the University of Dayton’s Chemical Materials Engineering department.  In Dayton he helped his sister in her restaurant, Taste of India.  This exposure to the restaurant business inspired him to fall in love with cooking.

 

The first of his two restaurants, Amar India, opened in 1991 and then his second restaurant, Jeet India in 2003.  He has had success in starting both restaurants and continually finds reward in hearing his customer’s appreciation.  Cooking is an art to Surjit and serving his customers is a gratifying experience.  Sharing his food is like sharing his heritage.

Surjit caters to many events and businesses all over the Midwest.  On top of catering Surjit likes to give back to the community and he frequently donates to charity.  Some specific charities include the Red Cross, March of Dimes and Leukemia Lymphoma Society.

 

His restaurant is commended as the 42nd best restaurant in the United States by Ben Schott’s, Schott’s Food and Drink.  Surjit has won multiple awards for his cooking through the years and he has even had the opportunity to showcase his talents on Good Morning America and multiple local TV channels.

 

  1. What is your favorite ingredient to cook with?

    Buffet 1

    The daily buffet always includes 4vegetarian entrees and 3 non-vegetarian entrees.

He enjoys working with cumin seeds and garlic.

 

  1. What ingredient do you dread?

There is nothing he dreads more than brown sugar, but that’s about it.

 

  1. What’s your favorite dish to make?

Chicken korma, chicken tikka masala

 

  1. What’s your favorite pig out food?

Chicken korma, rice and naan

 

  1. What restaurant, other than your own do you like to dine at in the Miami Valley?
216315_197541353614237_6764337_n

Masala, White Rice, and Saag Paneer.

Bravos (Particularly the Salmon), Bone Fish Grill, and any Mexican restaurant

 

  1. What’s your best advice for home chefs?

Don’t ever serve food that you wouldn’t want to eat yourself.  Always use the best quality ingredients for the best taste.  Do your own thing and adapt your own style.

 

  1. If you could invite any 4 guests to a dinner party who would they be and why?

He would invite the 4 pickiest customers and anyone else who would critique his cooking.  He is always looking to improve his art!

 

  1. Who do you look up to in the industry and why?

He has always look up to his older sister.  She had inspired him to open his own restaurants.

 

  1. What do you do in the Miami Valley on a day off?

He loves to go to any UD Flyer athletic event, especially basketball.  He also likes to attend Dayton Dragon’s baseball games or sit and watch any sport on the television.

 

  1. Share a kitchen disaster, lucky break or other interesting story.

Interesting Story:  One evening while in the restaurant a customer who had eaten at Amar India previously stopped by and dropped off a book with a marker within it.  The books name was, Schott’s Food and Drink.  Curiosity hit and the book was opened to the marker.  Surjit realized the customer had found a list of 42 best restaurants in the U.S. with Amar India at 42.  The author was unknown and he had no idea his restaurant had been featured on the list.  He saw it as an accomplishment and an interesting surprise.  He also found gratification that the customer notified him and had given him the book as a gift.

amarAmar India is located at 2751 Miamisburg Centerville Road, across from the Dayton Mall.

Monday thru Thursday      thumb-1

11:30am  to 2pm Lunch        5pm to 10pm Dinner

Friday & Saturday      

11:30am to 10pm

Sunday                                 

Noon to 9pm

This Chef 10?’s article was put together by UD students in Professor Rebecca P. Blust’s  UD Engineering Project Management class.  Our four member team , Gracelyn Key, Sushmitha Rayinadi, Emily Strobach and Daniel Williams spent the semester learning how to meet with a client (DMM) define the project, put a plan together and execute it.  This is the fifth of 9 Chef interviews they presented to us as their class project.  To read the first two interviews please see below:

10 ?’s with Chef Trish Miles of C’est Cheese

10 ?’s with Chef Narendar Thakkar of Namaste India

10 ?’s with Chef Lisa Perdomo of Arepas & Co

10 ?’s with Fifth Street Brewpub’s Chef Liam Hennessy

Here Comes the FLEURS ET VIN Festival!

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“Fleurs et Vin” Festival will feature over 400 wines for tasting !

Get ready to raise your wine glass this Sunday at Carillon Park , because Dayton’s premier wine and gourmet food festival arrives!!

That’s right, the one and only shindig known as “FLEURS ET VIN” (flowers and wine in French) takes place this weekend!

This is a Food Adventure and Wine extravaganza that you don’t want to miss.  The Big Ragu will be there in full force!

 

WHAT:  FLEURS ET VIN FESTIVAL

WHERE: At Historic Carillon Park,  1000 Carillon Blvd.  Dayton, Ohio 45409

WHEN: SUNDAY MAY 18th from 1pm – 4pm

WHY: To benefit AIDS Resoruce Center of Dayton Ohio

MUST DRINKS:  Over 400 wines available for tasting and a Beer Garden !

MUST EATS:  Local restaurants providing samples of menu specialties.

Restaurants Include: Amar India, Carvers Steaks & Chops, Central Perc European Cafe, Chappys Tap Room and Grille, Coco’s Bistro, El Meson, Figlio, Giovanni’s, Jay’s Seafood, Kohler’s Catering,  Lock 27 Brewing,  Mamma DiSalvo’s,  Neil’s Heritage House,  The Oakwood Club, Salar Restaurant and Lounge The Dock, The Deli at Webster Street & Top of the Market and Thai 9.

WHAT ELSE: Live Music during the festival by J.t. Fedrick and the Sax Groove, a silent auction that ends at 3pma and a Live Auction that starts  at 4pm 

COST: $70 in advance, $75 at the door  click HERE for more ticket info

Just in Case: Don’t drink and drive- Divine Services will be on hand if you and your car need a ride home.

Fleurs Et Vin is something you must experience as a true Daytonian.  Experience the best wines in the world, paired with Dayton’s Best Restaurant offerings.  It is for charity, which makes getting a ticket a no brainer.  Support Dayton, support the AIDS Resource Center, and join the fun at Carillon Park.  Treat yourself to a Food Adventure !

We raise our wine glasses high and say “Here’s to Fleurs Et Vin, the toast of the town this Sunday!”  See you under the big tents!

Are you a Dayton foodie?  Then join us for more fun Food Adventures by “liking”us on Facebook.

Check out our photo gallery below from last year’s event!

 

 [flagallery gid=87]

 

Dining Out Options on Dec 25th

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For all those folks who may not celebrate Christmas, or just don’t want to cook that day, there are indeed a few restaurants that will be open for your dining pleasure. Of course you can always dine at Waffle House- they never close, but no matter where you dine out, please remember that the staff of these places have given up their holiday to serve you, so please tip generously. (And the former server in me feels compelled to explain to you that 25% would be what I mean!)

 

(937) 429-9000  open noon to 8pm reservations suggested
72 Plum St at The Greene in Beavercreek
Mediterranean fusion cuisine and an affordable and creative selection of wine and specialty cocktails.

(937) 439-9005 open 2 – 6pm
2759 Miamisburg Centerville Road, across from Dayton Mall

 

(937) 293-4000 open from 7am til about 5pm, management suggests calling to confirm closing time- which they’ll determine by how the customer flow is that day.
4090 Wilmington Pike near Stroop in Kettering

 

937-433-2333 open 4pm – 1am
7880 Washington Village Dr. Centerville, OH 45459

Huge burgers made fresh by hand. Crisp salads piled high. Turkey and chicken roasted in our own rotisseries. Ribs slowly basted for hours until they’re falling off the bone. And decadent desserts that just might be worth the trip all by themselves will be served up from 5

7 area locations open 5pm – 2am

Specializing in chicken, they even have salads, pasta, ribs and a one pound Porterhouse steak on the menu.

 

(937) 431-9200 11am – 8pm

4429 Cedar Park Drive (at The Greene) Beavercreek, OH 45440

Featuring their signature “Fresh List” highlighting an impressive number of fresh seafood varieties, in addition to aged steaks, poultry, entrée salads and pasta. McCormick & Schmick’s commitment to local freshness is apparent in the seasonally inspired dishes and regionally inspired preparations offered.

(937) 898-3860 open noon – 9pm
7580 Poe Ave Dayton, OH 45414 (off Miller Lane exit of 75)
Only dinner menu will be served all day.
Chef prepares each meal with a blend of texture and color, as well as flavor and temperature to achieve overall harmony in the tradition of Ying and Yang. Excellent sushi, too.

(937) 439-3743  2022 Miamisburg Centerville Road  near Dayton Mall
(937) 236-3200 7777 Troy Pike in Huber Heights
both locations are open from 3-11pm

If you know of others places that will be serving on Christmas, please feel free to add them in the comment section below.

 

 

Food Adventures Spice Things Up at Amar India

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Indian food.. some people love it,  some people cringe, others have never had it.  Being Food Adventurers means we try and experience many culinary things in life, some out of our comfort zone.  Enter Amar India, one of the fancier Indian restaurants in Dayton, located across from the Dayton Mall.

The Big Ragu and Crew have developed a taste for Indian food over the years, and for us it started with Amar India.  If you have never tried Indian cuisine, let us recommend this restaurant for your American pallet.

A great way to experience some Indian food and see what you like, is to go to their buffet lunch, where you can sample a number of dishes (usually appetizers and chicken and vegetarian entrees).  The buffet lunches are fairly cheap and again it is a great way to get a variety of items.  Dinner at Amar India is ordered off the menu only.  Amar India’s menu is fairly extensive, but to sort it out, the dishes are basically four types: vegetarian, chicken, lamb, and fish.  Each dish may be ordered on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the spiciest.

Our latest visit to Amar India started with our incredibly friendly and passionate waiter, Regendier.  He welcomed us and recommended a few menu items and was happy to be a part of our Food Adventure article and photos.  In our conversations with him, he shared his love for food, Indian culture, and Pro-Wrestling.  After some fun conversation, your humble F decided to order.

Vegetable Pakora is served with 3 tasty sauces

We started out with an appetizer, ood AdventurersVegetable Pakora.  For all intents and purposes it is a vegetable fritter or hushpuppy.  The Big Ragu was ecstatic because the item was deep fried.  We explored the accompanying sauces.  This appetizer was served with a tray with 3 cups of sauces.  The sauces were a green mint sauce, a spicy chunky sauce, and a sweet bbq-like sauce.  We thought the mint sauce was the best.

Then we saw a sight for sore eyes.  Our waiter was bringing out an order of our favorite side item, Garlic Nan Bread.  Amar India offers different types of Nan bread, which are homemade pita breads with different flavored ingredients cooked right into the bread.  We cannot stress enough, that an order of Garlic Nan bread is a MUST.  When coming to Amar India, we can’t function without it.

The Garlic Nan Bread Appetizer is Addicting

We have always had a love for an Indian dish called Saag Paneer.  It is a funny sounding dish, with a big taste.  It is fresh homemade cheese cubes cooked in spinach & light cream.  It was a perfect storm of spice and flavor.

The Big Ragu ordered Fish Masala.  This dish is marinated fish,  pan fried with tomatoes, curry and cream.  Ragu ordered spice level 4 and was sweating the whole meal.  The dishes are all served in oval metal bowls that look small, but the food is filling.  They serve the meals with a white rice that has some Indian flavor.  We were both stuffed after dinner.

Top to Bottom: Fish Masala, White Rice, Saag Paneer

Our check arrived with a candy treat, small little fennel pellets.  They taste like licorice, or as Ragu said “mini good-n-plenty.”  We asked our waiter if he would take a photo with us after the dinner.  He told us his heritage was Punjabi, and he primped his moustache before the picture by curling it with his hands.  He smiled, flexed and helped us cap off a great night with a few laughs.

Whether you have acquired a taste for Indian food or not, you really need to give Amar India a chance.  The dinners are reasonable at $13-$16 on average for the unique dining experience.  If you have not been there, it will be an experience your tastebuds won’t soon forget.

Love these “Dayton Foodies?”  Then become an OFFICIAL FAN of FOOD ADVENTURES by going to our FACEBOOK and clicking LIKE.

[album: http://www.daytonmostmetro.com/wp-content/plugins/dm-albums/dm-albums.php?currdir=/wp-content/uploads/dm-albums/Amar India/]

Dining Out on Dec 25th

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For all those folks who may not celebrate Christmas, or just don’t want to cook that day, there are indeed a few restaurants that will be open for your dining pleasure.  Of course you can always dine at Waffle House- they never close, but no matter where you dine out, please remember that the staff of these places have given up their holiday to serve you, so please tip generously.  (And  the former server in me feels compelled to explain to you that 25% would be what I mean!)

(937) 439-9005        open 2 – 6pm
2759 Miamisburg Centerville Road, across from Dayton Mall

We will have a free buffet featuring Indian and American foods and desserts. While the dinner is free, they will be accepting donations for Family Services, WPAFB.
(Family Services assists troops and their families in a time of need)
All proceeds from the day will be donated.

937-433-2333           open 5 – 12pm
7880 Washington Village Dr.
Centerville, OH 45459

Huge burgers made fresh by hand. Crisp salads piled high. Turkey and chicken roasted in our own rotisseries. Ribs slowly basted for hours until they’re falling off the bone. And decadent desserts that just might be worth the trip all by themselves will be served up from 5

7 area locations         open 5pm – 2am

Specializing in chicken, they even have salads, pasta, ribs  and a one pound Porterhouse steak on the menu.

(937) 431-9200           11am – 8pm
4429 Cedar Park Drive  (at The Greene) Beavercreek, OH 45440

Featuring their signature “Fresh List” highlighting an impressive number of fresh seafood varieties, in addition to aged steaks, poultry, entrée salads and pasta. McCormick & Schmick’s commitment to local freshness is apparent in the seasonally inspired dishes and regionally inspired preparations offered.


(937) 898-3860            open noon – 10:30pm
7580 Poe Ave Dayton, OH 45414  (off Miller Lane exit of 75)
Chef prepares each meal with a blend of texture and color, as well as flavor and temperature to achieve overall harmony in the tradition of Ying and Yang.  Excellent sushi, too.

(937) 723-9015           open noon – 3pm

39 S. Springboro Pike  Miamisburg, OH 45342 (across from Dayton Mall)

Richly varied menu of fresh, natural ingredients, wholesome sauces which are prepared at premises everyday with flavorful spices with no additives such as MSG or any other preservatives.

As always, if you know of a place we missed, feel free to add it in the comments!