Tasty Indian Restaurant Near Chicago's O'Hare Airport

If you happen to find yourself looking for a meal near Chicago's O'Hare Airport, as we did this week, Maharaja is a tasty Indian restaurant in Rosemont that is worth trying. We were at the end of a week of travel, staying near the airport to catch a morning plane. We weren't too motivated by the end of the day to head back into downtown in search of a restaurant. Jodi and I have always loved Indian food, and our lad is developing a taste for it as well--OK, mostly mango juice and the breads, but he likes those enough to happily join us for Indian!

We started with vegetable samosas. That's another item B will now eat. In fact, he watched carefully to make sure he got his fair share of the 2 large samosas that came with that appetizer order. For entrees, we shared the chicken curry and a palak paneer, Indian cheese cubes cooked in spinach, tomatoes, onion and spices. Everything was very flavorful, and the palak paneer dish was especially fresh tasting, and not as heavy as this item can sometimes be.

Indian also tends to be a good option among ethnic cuisines for B's food allergies (egg, nut, dairy). Other Asian food like Thai and Chinese features peanuts so frequently, we tend to avoid them when dining as a family. Like the Indian restaurants we frequent around home, the staff at Maharaja were attentive to helping us identify which dishes aren't prepared with dairy or could be adjusted to meet our needs.

Wine pairing: I had to try one of the Indian wines featured on their menu, as I don't think I'd had it before. The Sula Vineyards Chenin Blanc was rather oaky when first tasting it. Surprisingly, the oak character seemed less noticeable when having it with the food--the wine tasted better with the samosas then when sipping on its own. It was fun to try, but I did opt for the Chateau St. Michelle Riesling for a second glass. Not exciting, but a solid pairing for the Indian food spices.  I asked to get a photo of the bottle, but they brought out the Sauvignon Blanc by the same producer as the Chenin Blanc.

Try it yourself: Maharaja is in Rosemont at 9765 W. Higgins Rd, a bit over a mile from the O'Hare Hyatt where we stayed. A short drive or cab ride from the airport hotels, or walkable if you want some exercise. The restaurant is also a friendly on the budget; our entire meal for three including wine wasn't much more than the cost of one steak at some other eateries in the area. Another good reason to go for a taste of India when you are staying near O'Hare! I'm recommending the restaurant to fellow travelers, but should also note there seemed to be plenty of locals there enjoying it, too.