3 easy ways to spot a great Indian restaurant, according to a top chef

Chef Heena Patel of Besharam in San Francisco shared her tips for finding a great Indian restaurant. Eric Wolfinger When Heena Patel first moved to the Bay Area in California, she started selling her homemade Gujarati food at the local farmers market. She'd often come home without making a profit, but she refused to give up on her dream — or her cuisine.Patel is now the James Beard-nominated owner and chef of Besharam, a regional Gujarati restaurant in San Francisco that pays tribute to the dishes of her heritage and childhood."Just as my guests step outside their comfort zones, I do the same with them, trusting they'll embrace my menu with an open mind," Patel told Business Insider. "That's how I hope to put Gujarati food on the map."Patel also hopes to help diners expand their perception of Indian cuisine. Here are her tips for finding a great Indian restaurant.Okra and bitter melon are green flags Heena Patel is the owner and chef of Besharam in San Francisco. Sarah Felker "Produce like okra, bitter melon, and opo squash are common in Indian cooking," Patel said. "So if you see these ingredients on a menu, you're in for a treat."One of Patel's favorite okra dishes is bhindi masala, which she said "allows okra to shine with its crisp texture."A variety of regional dishes on the menu The malai kofta dish at Besharam. Eric Wolfinger "India has so much to offer, and each dish is rich with history," Patel said. "Growing up, we tried foods from many different regions that have enriched my palate and helped shape me as a chef.""If you see menus that highlight different dishes from various regions in India, it is a good indication that the chef is focused on authentic regional cuisine," she added.When it comes to Gujarati dishes, Patel recommends trying rotla — a traditional flatbread which, unlike naan, is unleavened — and dhokla, a savory sponge cake. For North Indian cuisine, Patel loves sarson ka saag — a Punjabi dish of mustard greens cooked with spices — and the lamb kebabs of Uttar Pradesh.You can't go wrong with vindaloo, a spicy and tangy curry dish from Goa in western India, or sambhar, a lentil-based stew from Tamil Nadu, the southernmost state. Bengal's mishti doi dessert will give you a taste of the east, while chana samosas from Chhattisgarh will take you to India's central region.The bread is key Parathas with raspberry dip at Besharam. Eric Wolfinger "It is definitely worth trying an Indian restaurant that makes rotis and naan in-house," Patel told Business Insider.Indian cuisine also features a variety of flatbreads popular in different regions. Patel recommends trying rotli, paratha, and bhakri.And once you've found a great restaurant, don't play it safe and always stick to the same dishes."Indian food isn't just about individual dishes; it's about building each bite with different flavors," Patel said. "A curry or a dal on its own is just one part of the experience.""The real magic happens when you layer flavors by adding chutneys, pickles, rotis, and rice," she added. "My advice? Trust your server." Read next Anneta Konstantinides is a lifestyle correspondent at Business Insider, with a focus on food and travel. She loves taking readers inside Michelin-starred kitchens and exploring the world of fine-dining, and she's always trying to find the best Ina Garten and Gordon Ramsay recipes. Her second home is LAX, where she's often catching a flight and reviewing airlines.Anneta has also been reporting on the pageant industry for the last six years and has interviewed every Miss USA and Miss Universe winner since 2019. She was a finalist at the LA Press Club Awards for her investigation into the 2022 Miss USA scandal and was featured in The New York Times Presents episode "How to Fix a Pageant" on Hulu in September 2023. After graduating from UCLA with a B.A in English Literature and a minor in film & television, Anneta worked as a journalist in London, Sydney, New York City, Los Angeles, and Washington, DC. You can reach Anneta at akonstantinides@businessinsider.com. Restaurants Food