First Look: Curry Up Now Brings Indian Fusion Food to The Colony

Rana and Akash Kapoor began serving Indian food in 2009 from the back of a broken-down taco truck in California. Thirteen years later, they proudly call themselves the “biggest and baddest” Indian food brand in the U.S., with over 16 brick-and-mortar locations. Now with the opening of their newest location in The Colony, North Texas residents get to see for themselves.

The menu here isn’t even remotely like that of your typical Indian restaurant. The Kapoors seek to distinguish themselves with authentic Indian food that is more identifiable with the American food scene. From offerings like burritos to fries, Curry Up’s menu is loaded with typical fast-food classics, just with an Indian twist.

For starters, street tacos ($13.20) come three to a plate for sharing and are served on corn tortillas. The real originality of this dish comes from the ingredients: tacos are filled with curried chicken and topped with pico kachumber, a mix of diced tomatoes and tangy Indian pickle. While it definitely looks like a typical taco, the flavors inside say otherwise.

Curry Up’s bowls ($16.80), which are vaguely reminiscent of the classic Chipotle burrito bowl, are served on a bed of turmeric rice and come with customizable toppings ranging from chicken tikka to handmade samosa. It’s hard to go wrong with the classic tikka masala bowl, which comes with homemade daal lentils, a rich tikka masala curry, and fryums, a popular Indian snack made of fried potato starch. We suggest you order a side of Kulcha naan too. The Indian leavened bread is served warm and fluffy.

If you prefer your meal wrapped burrito-style, go for Curry Up’s signature burritos, which come filled with rice, sliced veggies, and your choice of proteins and sauce. If you’re feeling adventurous, try the “Punjabi by Nature,” a burrito with a rich spinach curry, garbanzo beans, rice and onion. The lamb burrito is another customer favorite, made with curried lamb meat, potatoes and a whole lot of rice. All burritos are served wrapped in a warm flour tortilla for a nice contrast of texture and flavor.

No matter what else you get here, ask for an order of the Naughty Naan, a dish that’s advertised as an Indian pizza. The base of the pizza is a fluffy slice of naan bread, slathered in Curry Up’s signature tikka masala and topped with shredded mozzarella, caramelized onions and jalapenos. Spinach enthusiasts can enjoy the saag paneer Naughty Naan, a similar pizza-style dish that comes with a thick spinach curry in place of tikka masala.

Your meal here is bound to be filling. But if you save room for something sweet, order a glass of the mango lassi, the gulab jamun, or the halwa, all of which are traditional Indian desserts with a modern spin.

Curry Up Now, 5752 Grandscape Blvd.,The Colony, Tuesday – Saturday, Noon – 10 p.m.; Sunday, Noon – 9 p.m.; Closed Monday.