There may be nothing more comforting in the cold weather than the warmth of Indian cuisine, and Aab India is one of our go-to spots in Columbus.

Located at 1470 Grandview Avenue, Aab India has been bringing the flavors of North India to Columbus since 2010. Manager Jodi Kaur took us down memory lane to recall how this community staple came to be.

“We started here in April of 2010, when Head Chef Singh moved here from Cincinnati. That’s where he started his career, at a restaurant called Ambar India Restaurant,” says Jodi Kaur. “They’ve been there for 31 years, so the first 15 he was there, and he’s been here since.”

Kaur, daughter of Head Chef and Owner Avtar Singh, mentioned that her father learned nearly everything he knew about cooking from Ambar. At the time of their move, he was ready to take on owning his own restaurant.

Owning a restaurant quickly became a family endeavor as Avtar’s son, Sobha Singh, played a significant role in finding the location where Aab stands today. Admittedly, the family got lucky in finding a spot that was restaurant-ready.

^{Sobha Singh (Credit: Aab India Restaurant)}

Kaur tells us that Sobha played a large part in Aab India’s beginnings and had his hands in everything around the restaurant over the years. Unfortunately, Sobha passed away in 2017, but he remains a driving force for his family and Aab India.

Alongside honoring his son, Singh holds specific values for the dishes served at Aab India. Whether you’re ordering takeout, dining in off the menu, or putting back plates at the buffet, everything is served with attention.

“(Singh) is the main person cooking every single day. Consistency is what I would say he’s kept up with,” says Kaur. “Even 31 years ago with (Ambar) to what it is today, it has not changed a single bit, and I think that’s what he believes in.”

Kaur tells us it takes just about a year to train one chef into the Aab India kitchen, and with good reason. Singh’s consistency across his recipes and dishes is integral to Aab India’s culture. Everyone in that kitchen is doing things the way Singh does them, and that takes time to learn.

Chef Singh's Cuisine

Though eating Indian takeout curled up on a couch in your pajamas has a certain charm, Aab India offers a daily lunch buffet from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. If you stop by on a Saturday or Sunday, that buffet runs from 12:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Or, if you have a particular dish in mind (we’re looking at you, Tikka Masala lovers), you can order a lunch portion of several dishes for a smaller midday meal.

We stopped in just before lunch and had the pleasure of perusing the buffet. Kaur prepped us before we filled up our plates, letting us in on what she thinks are must-haves.

“I think what’s really close to Chef Singh’s heart is his saag. His saag paneer, or any saag that he makes, he takes pride in that, and it’s just another one of his recipes that’s just so unique,” says Kaur. “I personally can’t even find it in any other restaurant in Columbus.”

^{The Saag Paneer offers a comforting, hearty vegetarian meal. (Credit: Aab India Restaurant)}

Aab India’s Saag Paneer is considered a staple within the restaurant, comprised of house-made paneer cooked in a thick, cream-based spinach sauce. It’s delicious and hearty, and perhaps an underrated pick for many crowds.

Pairing it with a fan-favorite like Tikka Masala makes for a flavor bomb of warmth and spices. Though both are served with mild spice levels on the buffet, they’re still packed with aromatics and depth.

Editor’s Eats

We all love the Chicken Tikka Masalas of the world, but here are a few dishes at Aab India that we can’t get enough of, and you might not have tried:

Lamb Chops: meaty lamb chops marinated in a special Aab Masala and roasted to perfection in the tandoor.

Keema Mater: mildly spiced minced beef blended with fresh green peas and seasoned with coriander and ginger, served with rice.

Dal Makhani: creamed legumes prepared in a rich butter sauce with a hint of spice.

Finish off the meal with a refreshing Mango Lassi or Gulab Jamun, and we’d consider it a successful night out.

Flavorful Future

Looking back over the last 15 years, Aab India has solidified its position as a standout on Grandview Avenue.

“(Avtar) is grateful, he’s humbled. He’s overwhelmed with the response that he’s gotten from this city from day one,” says Kaur. “I think even on day one, we had to close the restaurant early because we ran out of food. We’ve been blessed and lucky to have customers who are loyal.”

Kaur mentions she’s seen familiar faces at Aab India since the beginning, and that speaks for itself.

^{(Credit: Eat Local Ohio)}

“What (Avtar) makes daily, there is just so much care behind it. He is, again, back there doing what he loves every day,” says Kaur. “He is now over 65 years old, and he loves it that much that you just can’t blame him. That will continue.”

It’s no wonder that Aab India has seen so much success over the years— between the delicious, soul-warming cuisine of North India and the passionate chef behind the dishes, it’s the perfect recipe for an outstanding meal.

Couple that with the fact that it’s a family-owned and operated business, and it’s a given that Aab India would be such a crowdpleaser.

“Looking forward into the future, we would like to continue participating in the Grandview Hop. We recently participated, and we were so lucky to get a spot right in front of the restaurant,” says Kaur. “We saw so many people stop by who were already here in the past.”

The Aab India family is eternally grateful to everyone in and around Grandview who has supported them over the last 15 years, and they look forward to upholding excellent food and service for you all.

 

 

 

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1470 Grandview Ave, Columbus

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