Curry on: Karma Indian Cuisine brings authentic flavors to Butte

On the streets of Uptown Butte, aromas of cumin, cardamom and fresh naan are attracting hungry and curious customers.

Karma Indian Cuisine restaurant sets the table at 205 S. Arizona Ave., filling the space left vacant by Maverick Bar & Grill, which closed in May 2024 after replacing Fred’s Mesquite Grill.

A quartet of restaurateurs united in May to lease the building: Anil and Sammie Kuriakose, and Manoj Kumar and his wife, Deepika Dhawan. They took over the property in May after striking a deal.

Above the entrance to Karma remains the sign for Fred’s grill to honor the memory of original owner Fred Weiner, who passed away in 2007.

A date hasn't been pinpointed for Karma’s pending grand opening, though the eatery had its soft opening on Aug. 17. By the weekend, walk-ins were steady.

“It went very well, especially at dinner,” said Manoj Kumar, who hails from Spokane, Washington, where the four partners own another Karma dining establishment.

Earlier this year, Kumar and his wife visited Anaconda before settling on Butte.

Their latest restaurant has seating capacity for 95 diners, replete with a dozen tables indoors and 14 more outside. The spacious venue has lengthy vertical windows fringed with paintings and four mounted televisions. Piped-in music fills the air.

Karma — a Sanskrit word meaning action or deed — was chosen for a genuine reason: “When we put energy, kindness, love and honesty into the world,” Dhawan explained, “those actions come back to us in meaningful ways.”

Their family tree is deeply rooted in their naan-traditional business.

“Our recipes are deeply connected to our family, especially my grandmother’s recipes,” said Dhawan, who moved from India upward of 20 years ago. She has served as a professional chef for two decades.

Her inspiration has always been her father, “who taught me love, passion and tradition behind authentic Indian cooking.”

Hence, it comes as no surprise the restaurant’s motto is "Where Tradition Meets Taste."

The most memorable dishes they prepared together — including chicken paprika — now hold a special place in her heart, she said, because they represent loved ones and their love for food.

Such meals at Karma comprise a cornucopia of authentic Indian fare, plus vegetarian, dairy-free and gluten-free options, such as vegetable nirvana created fresh on the spot.

For daily lunch specials, the five employees on staff dish out curries, naan, rice and salad.

Behind the scenes is the eatery’s one and only cook, Anil Kuriakose, who has honed his craft for upward of 17 years.

“I can’t call in sick,” he said with a smile.

His culinary experience included a stint at a five-star hotel in Dubai. He and Sammie recently moved to Butte from Moscow, Idaho.

At Karma, he arrives early each morning to make sauces, among other prep work.

Karma Indian Cuisine’s business hours are 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday; it’s closed on Mondays. Visit karma.mt.us for more details.