New Indian Restaurant to Unleash the Spice on North Williams

This just in: Open Tandoor is a fast-casual, counter-service-style Indian restaurant that could open as soon as mid August at 4311 N. Williams Ave. It comes from the Punjab-born chef of the Portland Masala Food Cart, Kinderjit "Kinder" Gill, and general manager, Navi Kang. Prepare for freshly roasted and ground spices and, likely, affordability. It's been Gill's M.O. for years.

Indian food options in the Portland metropolitan area can be limiting, with those in a serious hurry for curry mostly flocking to either Beaverton's Chennai Masala or Bollywood Theater's SE Division and NE Alberta locations. The potential for a new Indian food option is always cause for salivation.

According to the press release, Gill will base the Open Tandoor menu on family recipes and memories from growing up in India. She's roasting and grinding her own spices, cooking in a clay tandoori oven, and sourcing some things locally, like lamb and lentils. And in "a modern twist," Open Tandoor will not use soy, corn, food coloring, or MSG.

Here are the menu specifics: Prepare for things like chicken tikka masala, saag, butter chicken, channa masala, naan wraps, and naan bites (served with dipping sauce) and garbanzo bean curry, red lentil curry, and ground lamb curry. To wash down the spice, Open Tandoor is serving local and Indian beers, five daily cocktails, wine, and a host of non-alcoholic options, like smoothies, Mango Lassis, and a house-made Indian spiced tea.

Open Tandoor is still building its website and social media, so look for updates here as they develop.

Watch: Indian Spice Guide with Padma Lakshmi