Just a few blocks north of Champaign’s downtown, Kohinoor Indian Restaurant & Lounge has been serving up Northern Indian cuisine for the last 9 years. A staple of the Champaign restaurant scene since its opening, Kohinoor gets its namesake from the iconic Koh-I-noor diamond — one of the world’s largest cut diamonds.
Though the task of living up to such a namesake is a large one, Kohinoor Indian Restaurant & Lounge has no trouble being a gem in its own right.
Diners find themselves greeted with a warmly lit and decorated interior that welcomes its guests in style. The entrance to the restaurant is notable for the array of colorfully lit water features constantly streaming bubbles.
Upon being seated, a quick glance at the menu reveals more than 140 items to choose from. Vegetarians (such as myself) will quickly find themselves overwhelmed by the amount of choices offered to them.
While nearly half of the menu is vegetarian-friendly (and roughly half of these options can be made vegan as well), Kohinoor takes its inclusive menu a step further with an entirely separate vegan menu.
Though the dedicated vegan menu is much smaller at only 5 items, these five items ensure that people of all dietary restrictions can enjoy themselves. A stand out option from the vegan menu is the vegan bread, as naan is typically not made vegan.
I decided that a three-course meal was the way to go for this visit. I started with the samosas for an appetizer which came with a vibrant set of chutneys.
(Photo by Brandon Snyder)
The samosas were filled to the brim with a wonderfully savory mixture of peas and potatoes, all contained within a crispy and extremely flaky pastry. The dressed lettuce garnish added a pleasant layer of freshness to each bite. The chutneys all had distinct and unique flavor profiles — the orange one was spicy and savory, the green fresh and herbal, and a sweet red sauce that tasted of tamarind. Each was delicious in its own right, but the herbal chutney was the sauce of choice for me. The refreshing herbal taste complemented the richness of the samosas in a way the other two did not.
After packing away a samosa (and a copious amount of chutney), it was time for my entrée of bhindi masala and a large piece of naan.
Bhindi, known in English as okra, has an undeniable reputation as a ‘love it or hate it’ type of food. The chief complaint amongst those who disparage it is that okra is slimy or has an off-putting texture. I am delighted to share that this is absolutely not the case of the bhindi served to me at Kohinoor.
The okra was perfectly cooked, tender-crisp and perfectly nestled inside of a luxuriously spiced tomato gravy. The tomato gravy was spiced with a strong undercurrent of cumin and a heat level that was just right.
The naan itself was not to be overlooked. Witha pleasantly chewy texture and buttery flavor, the naan stood up on its own to the big flavors of the bhindi. In addition to my plain naan,’the menu offers a variety of other options ranging from garlic, paneer kulcha (a bread stuffed with cheese), and a naan stuffed with chicken and spicy chilis.
(Photo by Brandon Snyder)
For dessert, I tried something I had never had before. Kheer, described on the menu as ‘rice cooked with milk and sugar and topped with pistachios’,was served in a cutely patterned bowl on a small plate.
Based on the description on the menu, I was expecting the kheer to be served either warm or hot, but after a cautionary blow on the bite I held in front of me, I immediately realized that what I put in my mouth was, in fact, cold (turns out there is some debate on whether kheer is best served hot or cold).
It was rich and delicious, with a porridge-like mouthfeel. The dish was not overly sweet, with an indulgent coconut flavor and crunch from the sliced pistachio topping. Each bite felt complete with flavor and texture.
(Photo by Brandon Snyder)
Dining at Kohinoor Indian Restaurant & Lounge is a lovely experience that caters to all audiences and all diets. In addition to stellar food, the service shined.Every single person I interacted with at Kohinoor was not just helpful, but extremely kind and welcoming.
Like the name would imply, Kohinoor Indian Restaurant & Lounge is indeed a gem in every way.
Brandon Snyder is an undergraduate student at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.