'A little bit Indian, a little bit American': New Libertyville restaurant fulfills a parent's dream
Singh's Kitchen, soon to be the latest entree on Libertyville's restaurant scene, is the realization of a dream that faded years ago.
Featuring Indian food from traditional recipes served in a familiar style, the restaurant's planned opening in downtown Libertyville by early December ends nearly a year of logistics and construction.
Founder Anmol Chandock described the new venture as “a little bit Indian, a little bit American.”
“I was entranced with reviving my parents' legacy while creating a new one that includes the culture that I assimilated into as a first-generation Indian American,” he said.
Offerings will include a variety of traditional flavors available in Chipotle-style fashion, where customers can build their own dishes.
“I want (customers) to be able to try a bunch of different flavors. I want this to be a place people can eat everyday and not feel guilty,” he said.
“We'll have chef's favorites but you'll have the opportunity to make your own bowl — a broad experience of what Indian food has to offer,” Chandock added.
Wraps, bowls, tacos, salads and plates will start with a base of rice combined with Bombay or fried chicken, steak Shawarma, bay shrimp or tofu with a choice of toppings including pickled onions, Anmol cheese, or chana (chickpeas). Singh's wings and loaded fries also are on the menu.
Chandock was born and raised in Bombay (now Mumbai), where his father owned four restaurants and three catering businesses. The environment was infused with the aromas and flavors of ancestral recipes, he said.
The family moved to the U.S. in 2002 and settled in Vernon Hills.
Chandock studied to become a chiropractor and practices in Libertyville.
His father worked at the former Peacock Indian restaurant in Vernon Hills and his mother at a packaging plant. But unfamiliar with the culture, his parents' dream of being restaurateurs in the U.S. slipped away while trying to provide for the family's needs, Chandock said.
With an affinity for the food and his Punjabi heritage intact, he began considering ways to rekindle his parents' dream in a new manner.
“With the support of my parents and my wife, our vision is to provide diners with a take on Indian food that is quick and healthy, in an environment that is upbeat and enjoyable,” he said.
He began scouting locations along Milwaukee Avenue in Libertyville, as well as Wheeling, Lincolnshire and Vernon Hills. But that was about a year before the COVID-19 pandemic.
When a storefront became available on Milwaukee Avenue about a year ago, Chandock went for it, figuring the one-of-a-kind family-owned restaurant would fit well among the eclectic variety of unique offerings that have become the area's trademark.
“We spend so much time in downtown Libertyville,” he said. “It would be a great opportunity we didn't want to pass up.”
He expanded the idea and adjusted plans when the neighboring space suddenly became available.
Chandock explained that Singh in Punjabi means lion.
“We approached the flavors integrated to our menu at Singh's Kitchen with the same level of ferocity as the lions we choose to represent our culture,” he said.