Midwestern-Influenced Indian Dining Shines at Indus

Indus Progressive Indian, located in downtown Highland Park, is an award-winning restaurant famous for its fusion of Indian and Midwestern tastes centered on family recipes from North India. The restaurant, run by owners Ajit Kalra and Sukhu Kalra, highlights dishes like smoky masala beef brisket and fiery pork belly vindaloo, which break traditional Indian culinary boundaries.

The Kalras’ journey in the Chicago food scene began in 2021 with Bhoomi, a casual Indian food stall in the Loop. In 2024, they opened Indus, a cozy fine-dining spot in Highland Park. The restaurant honors the rich culinary history of the ancient Indus Valley, infusing it with flavors from the couple’s experiences in both India and the U.S. This blend has resonated, earning Indus the Readers’ Choice Award for Suburban Restaurant of the Year in 2025.

The executive chef, Vetri Selvaraj, previously worked at Ettan, a renowned California Indian restaurant. At Indus, he transforms family recipes into artful dishes, like the tender masala brisket served with an earthy barbecue chutney. This dish defies traditional Indian norms since beef is seldom consumed by India’s Hindu majority.

The masala brisket is smoked for 14 to 18 hours using a Smoke Daddy smoker filled with a custom blend of apple and mesquite wood pellets. The carefully trimmed beef is rubbed with a mix of spices and paired with roasted potato wedges for a satisfying experience. Executive chef Vetri Selvaraj reimagines these classic recipes, preserving their essence while adapting them to palate-pleasing presentations.

Another standout is Mamma’s chole, an intense chickpea dish originating from Sukhu Kalra’s family recipe. It is served with crispy poori bread, a staple in Sukhu’s family from Chandigarh. The restaurant’s poori, made from whole wheat flour, becomes a light and crispy companion to the deeply flavored chickpeas.

The menu also features the challenging pork belly vindaloo, which showcases a spicy Goan sauce. The dish’s complex preparation involves a seven-day cure, a smokey dry rub, and lard braising, making it a testament to Indus’s culinary innovation. Many patrons request an extra-spicy version, savoring the fiery vindaloo sauce with fragrant basmati rice, cumin seeds, and other accompaniments.

For those seeking different flavors, the crispy okra (kurkuri bhindi) offers a popular snack option. A daal dish made from black lentils delivers an additional layer of smoky ghee-flavored satisfaction, while the tandoor-cooked butter naan seals the meal.

For desserts, Indus serves a Valrhona dark chocolate torte inspired by a flourless cake, though the sous chefs are planning to explore more traditional Indian desserts in the future. The restaurant’s rich masala chai and a kokum mezcal cocktail provide intriguing beverage options to complement the meals.

Most of Indus’s staff have been with the restaurant since its opening. The commitment is evident not only in their service but also in how the community has embraced Indus as a local hub. Their involvement in the Highland Park community was particularly poignant following the 2022 Independence Day parade shooting.

Indus has navigated financial risks and cultural hurdles to bring innovative Indian cuisine to the North Shore. Apart from dining, it aims to become a community gathering space, offering food as a source of comfort and connection.

The restaurant’s dedication to the community and culinary excellence showcases their intention to make a meaningful impact through food. Indus operates Tuesday to Sunday, with varied closing times throughout the week. The menu prices range from $5 for rice to $36 for the masala brisket, with various other dishes and drinks available to explore this distinctive dining experience.