DINE WRITE
THE MOTHER OF REINVENTION kiran ' s is back
By Janice Schindeler | Photography by Sarah Miller
Saffron Panna Cotta
KIRAN VERMA EXPECTS PERFECTION . TWO WEEKS POST OPENING OF HER NEW , CUSTOM-BUILT NAMESAKE RESTAURANT , THE FINE-TUNING OF FINISHES AND SPACE CONTINUES . “ EVERY DAY , YOU FEEL LIKE ‘ ALMOST THERE , ALMOST THERE .’ THEN , THEN , I START WORKING AND I SEE WE NEED MORE LIGHTS , WE NEED MORE SEATS ,” SAYS CHEF AND OWNER VERMA .
It took nine months from when Verma shut down her successful 11-year-old restaurant on Westheimer until she opened the doors on the Richmond location immediately in front of Levy Park . Nine long , tedious months , anxious months during which Verma and her staff stewed and brewed , creating a menu that honored the dishes of the past and forecasted pleasures and flavors of the future .
The whole time Verma kept the faith and her standards : always , always expecting and only accepting the best .
The general contractor , carpenter and designer are meeting , resolving the lighting issues and other minor punch list items . Nine plus months into the project and she still hugs them goodbye .
Verma is taking a break sipping chai . One sip of her custom blend Kiran ’ s Daughter chai ( five different tea leaves , floral notes of green and black cardamom , the spice of cloves and cinnamon and a little punch of black pepper ) and off she flies into the kitchen . Reemerging she explains , “ The chai was not hot enough . Chai must be very hot – there is a method . And the method ensures hot chai . It is a step-by-step process . Boil , infuse ,
20 LOCAL | march 17