O’Desi Aroma owner aims to make Indian cuisine ‘mainstream’ with new McKinney restaurant

O’Desi Aroma, a fast casual Indian restaurant, opened in north McKinney on March 2, according to co-owner Hitesh Wadhawan.

The restaurant, located at 1620 N. Hardin Blvd., Ste. 1800, serves a variety of Indian dishes, including curries, kebabs, biryanis and more, according to its website. The menu also includes Indo-Chinese dishes, samosas, naan, dessert options and more.

The restaurant’s first location opened on the Plano-Frisco border in 2017, followed by a second location in north Irving in late 2019. Wadhawan targeted the McKinney area for the third location of the restaurant concept due to the growth and demographics of the area, he said.

“There's a good South Asian diaspora that's growing here in McKinney. If I look further north ... Celina, Prosper, Anna. None of these places have a decent Indian restaurant,“ Wadhawan said.

Each of the restaurants’ locations offers the same food items, he said, creating consistency that will help remove barriers for customers unfamiliar with the cuisine. Wadhawan uses Pei Wei as a model for the restaurant experience he is looking to create, he said.

Along with consistent dishes, the restaurant’s owners also focus on authenticity and affordability, two qualities that will help to bring Indian food mainstream, Wadhawan said. The restaurant's owners hope to franchise the concept in the future, he said.

“I think there's a space, there is this opportunity. Somebody should standardize Indian food, should make sure it's affordable,” Wadhawan said.

214-856-4086. www.odesiaroma.com