Oak Park’s restaurant hub could get a new member as soon as next month.
Klay Oven restaurant-which serves upscale/casual Indian food-plans to open its second location in early November in Oak Park. Their first location opened 16 years ago in Chicago’s River North neighborhood.
Oak Brook resident Vishal Khosla, 33, will operate the restaurant at 734 Lake St., just east of Oak Park Avenue. The storefront was formerly home to the French bistro, Cafe Le Coq, which closed last spring. Numerous calls to the restaurant’s owner weren’t returned at the time, but Village President David Pope said owner Jim August was closing the 5-year-old restaurant to spend more time with his family.
Khosla hopes to open by the second week of November. Since the space was already a restaurant, there’s a minimal amount of work to be done to get it up and running: painting, flooring, and changing the awning.
He just signed a five-year lease with property owner Mike Fox and has two options for five more years each. Khosla eyed Oak Park for its diversity, “eclectic residents,” and solid demographics.
“Oak Park has always been my second choice after the city to open a restaurant,” he said.
Klay Oven has a full liquor license-which the village board approved Monday-and will serve beer, wine, and hard alcohol.
Klay Oven will offer a $10 lunch buffet every day. The restaurant is open from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., seven days a week. Dinner is also offered every day from 5 to 11 p.m.
Appetizers range from $2.95 to $10.95 and include items such as skewered shrimps marinated in yogurt, lemon juice, paprika, and sesame seeds or ground lamb and chicken in special seasoning.
Entrées range from $8.95 to $25.95 and include items such as lobster tail marinated in yogurt, black pepper, grilled with lemon and garlic or rack of lamb with tomato, onion, ginger, and garlic.
Klay Oven’s Web site is www.klayovenrestaurant.com.