Tarka Indian Kitchen is set to start servings its healthy, authentic Indian cuisine to the Upper Kirby community when it open its doors on Wednesday, January 29.
Located at 3701 S. Shepherd Drive, Ste. A, the fast-casual restaurant will celebrate its grand opening by giving back. As part of Tarka’s #EatGoodKarma mission, the eatery is partnering with Daya, a nonprofit organization based in Houston that empowers South Asian domestic and sexual violence survivors by providing culturally specific services. During its opening week, Tarka will donate 10 percent of sales to Daya and will sponsor a donation drive for the nonprofit. Guests can donate at the restaurant or by visiting dayahouston.org/donate.
“We are thrilled to finally open in the vibrant area that is Upper Kirby,” says Tarka CEO and co-founder Tinku Saini. “We can’t wait to start serving our healthy, affordable, customizable Indian food to everyone in the community. We are dedicated to being involved in the neighborhoods we serve through our #EatGoodKarma commitment, so we look forward to supporting such an inspiring organization like Daya during our opening week.”
The Upper Kirby restaurant is the third Tarka to open in the Houston area and ninth to open system-wide, with other locations in Austin, Round Rock, Cedar Park and San Antonio.
The new restaurant will serve Indian classics like curries, kabobs, biryanis and freshly baked flatbreads, along with signature creations like Masala Fries. Tarka offers numerous vegetarian, vegan and gluten free options, like its Beyond Keema Curry, to meet different dietary needs of its guests. To complement the authentic, high-quality cuisine at Tarka, guests can enjoy delicious drinks like mango lemonade, fresh fruit lassis, and select wine and beer.
Recently recognized as one of the “Most Exciting Austin Fast Casuals” by QSR, Tarka has a singular focus on the quality and freshness of its ingredients, so everything is made fresh to order. The chicken is fresh, all-natural and hormone-free, and the lamb is fresh, pasture-raised, grass-fed and Halal. The menu also has an extensive variety of vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options.
When the new 3,000-square-foot restaurant opens, guests will be able to see their meal being cooked fresh-to-order from Tarka’s open kitchen. The restaurant will have a patio and a large-scale “Mandala Mural” in its modern dining room, which is unique to the location and hand painted by a local Houston artist. Tarka Upper Kirby will also be the brand’s first location to feature express pick-up shelves and a self-ordering kiosk, in addition to its user-friendly online ordering system.