Section 5: The Menu, Section by Section
Lesson 3 of 3

Thali combos, Legends, Naan, Sides, Drinks

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Combo recommendations plus the rest of the menu, end to end.

  • First-timer who wants the full experience: Chicken plus Paneer. Two best sellers, full flavor, medium spice.
  • Vegetarian: Paneer plus Butter Paneer or Paneer .
  • Vegan: Aloo Gobi plus on the side, no , swap to GF tortilla. Tell kitchen for any preparation question.
  • Meat lover: Lamb plus Butter Chicken. Two slow-cooked dishes.
  • Mild eater: Butter Chicken plus Butter Paneer. The two mildest. Both contain tree .
  • Spice fan: Lamb plus Chicken. Heat all the way through.
  • Dairy free: Lamb plus Chicken (both have no dairy in the sauce). Choose on the side, skip the .

The Legends

Founder favorites. The dishes that built our reputation.

Deconstructed Samosa

$16. Lamb +$1.
dee-kon-STRUKT-ed suh-MOH-sah

An inside out phenomenon loaded with masala, , chutneys (cilantro mint and tamarind), and mini samosas, with your choice of protein. Traditionally street food is served without protein, we gave it the Curry Up Now treatment.

Taste: Tangy, layered, savory. Crunchy mini samosas, cool yogurt-tamarind, sharp cilantro mint. Sweet, sour, spicy, crunchy, all of it.

Allergens: W. Proteins: Chicken, Paneer (D), Lamb, Aloo Gobi (V).

Sell: AK's order. Tell them, this is what the founder eats, desi hot. SF 7x7 magazine named the Decon one of the best things to eat in SF for the price.

Kathi Roll

$15. GF option +$3 (try the GF roti, super good).
KAH-tee roll

Egg-washed (mughlai paratha, a lachha paratha layered with egg) wrapped around onions, your protein, cilantro chutney, fryums. Originated at Nizam's Restaurant in Kolkata. The favorite food of our founders.

Taste: Soft eggy layered wrap, smoky filling, herbaceous from the chutney, crunchy from the fryums.

Allergens: W, egg. Proteins: Chicken, Paneer (D), Lamb, Aloo Gobi (V).

Sell: Rana's order: aloo gobi, no egg, desi hot. Order a samosa to round out the meal.

Sizzlin' Kabab

$18
SIZ-lin kuh-BOB

Straight off the grill, sizzling over onions and bell pepper on a hot iron platter. The platter sizzles when it lands at the table.

Taste: Smoky, charred edges, juicy. Onions and bell pepper soak up the marinade.

Allergens: GF, D. Halal chicken. Proteins: Chicken Boti or Tandoori Paneer.

Sell: The most theatrical dish on the menu. Always upsell naan or rice on the side.

Naan

Every is oven-baked, fresh, made to order, every shift. Naan contains wheat and dairy by default. Naan upgrades pair with bowls, thalis, kababs, and butter chicken. You cannot dip naan into a .

Butter Naan

$4
BUH-ter NON

Fresh brushed with melted butter.

Taste: Soft, lightly chewy, buttery.

Allergens: W, D.

Sell: Default upsell on bowls, thalis, kababs.

Peri Peri Naan

$4
PEH-ree PEH-ree

dusted with our peri peri seasoning.

Taste: Buttery base with hot, smoky-tangy kick.

Allergens: W, D.

Sell: For heat seekers. Pairs with anything mild.

Sesame Onion Naan

$4
SES-uh-mee

topped with toasted sesame seeds and onions.

Taste: Nutty, savory, slightly sweet.

Allergens: S, W, D. Contains sesame.

Sell: Pairs with kadhai dishes.

Burnt Chili Garlic Naan

$4
burnt CHI-lee GAR-lik

topped with charred chili and garlic.

Taste: Smoky, garlicky, hot.

Allergens: W, D.

Sell: Pair with rogan josh, kadhai chicken, sizzlin' kabab.

Chili Cheese Naan

$5
CHI-lee cheese

stuffed with cheese and chili.

Taste: Melty, hot, chewy.

Allergens: W, D. Vegetarian.

Sell: Premium upsell. Eats like a meal on its own.

Garlic Cheese Naan

$5
GAR-lik cheese

stuffed with cheese and garlic.

Taste: Garlicky, melty, soft.

Allergens: W, D. Vegetarian.

Sell: Crowd pleaser, for the table.

Sharing and Sides

Peri Peri Fries

$7
PEH-ree PEH-ree fries

Fries tossed in our fiery peri peri seasoning.

Taste: Crispy, hot, smoky-tangy.

Allergens: V, GF.

Sell: Universal upsell. Pair with the tandoori sandwich, sexy fries, kathi rolls, El Jefe.

Sweet Potato Fries

$8
sweet po-TAY-toe fries

Criss-cut sweet potato fries with maggi hot and sweet ketchup, which comes from India.

Taste: Sweet, crispy, with the spicy ketchup it pops.

Allergens: V, GF.

Sell: Sub for regular fries on sexy fries, or order on the side.

Holy Moly Fried Ravioli

$11
HO-lee MO-lee

Cheese ravioli, breaded, fried, served with dip. Indian on the dip, Italian on the inside, completely Curry Up Now.

Taste: Crispy outside, cheesy inside, dipped in our signature tikka masala.

Allergens: D, W, E (egg in breading). Vegetarian.

Sell: Tell the founder story. Best shareable starter.

Guac and Chips

$8
GWAH-kuh-mo-lay and chips

House guac and chips. Light starter.

Taste: Bright, fresh, simple.

Allergens: V.

Sell: First-time table starter. Pair with anything.

Vada Pav (1)

$6
VAH-dah POW

A single , the Mumbai potato fritter sandwich. For the snack-size order.

Taste: Crisp fritter, soft bun, garlic chutney heat.

Allergens: VG, W, D. Vegan available without butter.

Sell: Add-on for any order. Mumbai pairing with chai.

Punjabi Samosay (1)

$5
pun-JAH-bee suh-MOH-sah

A single Punjabi Samosay, the OG giant .

Taste: Flaky, crispy, potato and pea filling.

Allergens: V, W.

Sell: Cheapest add-on with the most filling per dollar.

Why fried ravioli is on an Indian menu

This dish exists because of a lunch. AK was running an earlier company and took the team out. They ordered toasted and fried ravioli. He kept thinking about it. Months later he tried it dipped in . The cheese, the crisp, the sauce, all of it landed. We put it on the menu. It is a perfect example of : respect for tradition (tikka), zero rules about where the rest of the dish comes from.

Desserts

Hot Ball on Ice

$7
hot ball on ice

Warm gulab jamun served over cold kulfi ice cream, rose-water syrup, pistachio. A North Indian pairing from the Mughal era.

Taste: Hot and cold in one spoon. Soft, dense, sweet, fragrant.

Allergens: D, W. Vegetarian.

Sell: Say it at every food drop: hot ball on ice, warm gulab jamun, cold kulfi, seven dollars, you need this.

Gulab Jamuns

$5
goo-LAHB jah-MOON

Caramelized milk solid dough balls soaked in rose-water sugar syrup, cardamom and saffron notes.

Taste: Warm, syrupy, floral, very sweet.

Allergens: D, W. Vegetarian.

Sell: The classic. Served at every Indian celebration, weddings to Diwali. Pair with chai and Parle-G.

Kulfi Ice Cream

$6
KOOL-fee

Dense, slow-frozen Indian ice cream made with condensed milk and cream, cardamom, pistachio, saffron. Not whipped like Western ice cream.

Taste: Denser, richer, more intense than any scoop you know.

Allergens: D, N (pistachio), GF. Vegetarian.

Sell: For guests who want something cold and different. Also the base of Hot Ball on Ice.

Daal Lentil Halwa

$7
DAHL LEN-til HULL-wah

Pureed moong slow-cooked with ghee, sugar, almonds, pistachio and saffron. A traditional North Indian dessert.

Taste: Nutty, buttery, warm, deeply aromatic.

Allergens: D, N, GF. Vegan option available. Vegetarian.

Sell: Sounds unusual, tastes extraordinary. For the guest who thinks they have tried everything.

Drinks

Mango Lassi

$6
MAN-go LUH-see

House-made yogurt and mango blended cold, cardamom and a trace of saffron. The default drink upsell.

Taste: Thick, sweet, cooling, slightly tangy.

Allergens: D, GF. Vegetarian.

Sell: Offer it with every burrito and bowl, and with anything spicy. It cools the heat down.

Chai and Parle-G

$4
CHY and PAR-lay JEE

House-brewed masala with black tea, milk, cardamom, ginger and sugar, served with Parle-G biscuits. Never from a mix.

Taste: Warm, spiced, sweet. The biscuit is mildly sweet and dunkable.

Allergens: D, W (biscuit). Vegetarian.

Sell: The closer. Offer it after dessert or with the deconstructed samosa.

Mandarin Cardamom Fresca

$6
MAN-duh-rin CAR-duh-mum FRES-kah

House-made citrus drink, mandarin and cardamom with light soda and citrus zest. The elegant non-dairy option.

Taste: Bright, floral, unexpected.

Allergens: GF. Vegan.

Sell: Pair with thali, keto bowl, pani puri. Guests always ask what it is.

Strawberry Dragonfruit Cooler

$6
STRAW-berry DRAG-on-fruit

House-made berry cooler, strawberry and dragonfruit puree, light fizz, mint.

Taste: Bright color, bold berry flavor.

Allergens: GF. Vegan.

Sell: Lead with how it looks. Pair with Punjabi 69, sizzlin' kabab, and lamb.

Farmer's Punch

$6
FAR-mers punch

House-made refresher, bright citrus base with layered tropical fruit, mint and ginger.

Taste: Cooling, citrus-forward, complex.

Allergens: GF. Vegan.

Sell: For guests who want something different from a soda. Pair with keto bowl, street food, anything rich.

Spicy Guava Lemonade

$8
GWAH-vah

Lemonade with guava and chili. Sweet, tart, hot.

Taste: Fruity up front, chili kick on the back end.

Allergens: GF. Vegan.

Sell: Best non-alcoholic pairing for heavy or spicy dishes. Cuts the richness.

Sweet Iced Tea

$4
sweet iced tea

Classic sweet iced tea over ice. The Southern default.

Taste: Sweet, clean, cold.

Allergens: GF. Vegan.

Sell: The easy yes for guests who do not want anything adventurous. Still beats a fountain soda.

Organic Fountain Soda

$3 to $6
or-GAN-ic FOUN-tain SO-dah

Organic cane sugar soda on tap, 16oz, with rotating options. Ask your manager what is stocked this shift. Cans and bottles include Mexican Coke, Thums Up and Limca where stocked.

Taste: Cleaner and less syrupy than standard soda.

Allergens: GF. Vegan.

Sell: If a guest asks for soda, offer the lassi or a house cooler first, then pour the soda.

Why we sell Mexican Coke and Indian sodas

Curry Up Now is good-for-you food made with clean ingredients. Our soda lineup follows the same principle. Mexican Coke uses real cane sugar in a glass bottle, no high fructose corn syrup. Thums Up and Limca are how an Indian kid grows up taking soda, no marketing fluff. Earth-friendlier glass bottles, cleaner ingredients, fewer plastic bottles in the trash. When a asks for a soda, this is the story.

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