This popular west side restaurant just opened in downtown Modesto, with plans to add a bar
Downtown Modesto has an Indian restaurant once again, and it’s one that residents and travelers from Stanislaus County’s west side already know and love.
Tandoori Flame opened in the former Farmacy cafe space on 10th Street in early September. The Indian eatery is the third restaurant from the Dhanju family of Patterson. In late 2021 they opened their first Tandoori Flame in Westley, followed in spring 2022 by their second in Patterson.
Both other locations are attached to Arco am/pm gas stations just off I-5 exits, and more geared towards takeout and tourists. But the new downtown site is the family’s first full-service and more formal restaurant in the region.
Simran Dhanju, her father Amarjit and brother Arshdip co-own the Modesto restaurant together, and other family members help to round out the eight-person staff.
While the extensive menu remains the same at all three locations, the family hopes to capitalize on the Modesto spot’s prominent location, practically kitty-corner from the Gallo Center for the Arts. They’ve also leaned into the space’s former decor, which has remained largely the same since its days as an all plant-based vegan cafe.
Simran said the look of the Farmacy, with its lush plant-themed ambiance, was what sold them on the downtown spot. The family has added its own touches, including all of the tableware. They also plan to add booths inside and build a parklette out front, which would add another 10 seats to its current 40-person dining room capacity.
The menu features some 70 items, including a large vegetarian section which should thrill fans of the restaurant’s former occupants. The Dhanjus also are serious about keeping their meat and vegetarian dishes separate, and have a dedicated fryer for each in the kitchen. About half their offerings are vegetarian.
The kitchen’s other key fixture is its traditional tandoor clay oven, which is used to bake naan bread and grill various meats. Menu standouts include the always popular entree butter chicken ($13.99), appetizers like fish pakora (fried fish bites, $10.99) and tandoori chicken (made in the clay oven, $12.99 half, $20.99 full).
To accommodate customers who work downtown and have limited time for lunch, they offer a lunch box special Monday through Friday. The afternoon combos include a main course selection of either vegetarian, chicken or choice of seafood, lamb or goat dishes, plus rice and naan for $14.99, $15.99 or $19.99 respectively.
Besides adding booths, Simran said the family plans to take full advantage of the cafe’s existing bar. They are in the process of obtaining a full liquor license and will start beer and wine service this month. Once the bar is up and running they also plan to stay open longer on weekends, with late night hours, cocktails and appetizers available.
Since opening, the restaurant has been so busy at times that people have had to wait outside, Simran said. She said they’re also grateful for the last “three really good years” at the Westley and Patterson spots. Customers can order for delivery from the new Modesto site through the third-party apps DoorDash and Grubhubs.
Tandoori Flame is the third Indian restaurant to open downtown in the last 30 years. It follows India Oven, which spent 10 years on 11th Street in the current Commonwealth location before closing in the early 2000s and Monsoon Restaurant, which opened on 10th Street in 2018, but closed amid the pandemic.
“We were surprised there was no nice Indian restaurant close by,” said Amarjit Dhanju. “So we wanted to bring one.”
Tandoori Flame, at 907 10th St. in Modesto, is open 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. Tuesday to Sunday. For more information call 209-422-6762 or visit www.facebook.com/mytandooriflame.
