Even during the afternoon lunch rush at 1 p.m. on a weekday, it is calm inside The Curry House. Groups of diners load their plates with various meats, vegetables, rice, naan and chutneys from the lunch buffet, then return to their booths, conversing with each other as Indian music plays. That is exactly the vision that owner Lakshmi “LK” Reddy had for the restaurant when he and his business partner Mageesh Ganesan opened it in 2015. Reddy said the atmosphere is meant to promote guests sitting and dining for a while rather than being in and out quickly—an experience he said he did not get at other local Indian restaurants. “I don’t want this to be like a fast-food place,” he said. “I want it to be a place where people can come, enjoy the food, sit and talk.” This vision, combined with a love of food, inspired Reddy to open The Curry House and show Humble-area residents what eating local Indian cuisine is all about. Both Ganesan and Reddy are inspired by their parents’ cooking, they said. Ganesan, the restaurant’s chef, has been in the Indian food industry for the last nine years and has worked at The Curry House since it first opened. The initial menu selection at the restaurant was going to include only South Indian dishes, Ganesan said, but he and Reddy decided to cover as much of Indian cuisine as they could. Selections include foods popular in both North and South India as well as some Indo-Chinese items and vegetarian dishes. In the four years since The Curry House opened, Reddy said he has increased the restaurant’s presence both within and outside the Indian community in North Houston, with the restaurant often sponsoring events and donating to Humble ISD. “We feel happy and proud that we are able to contribute something back to the community,” he said. The Curry House is more of “a mom and pop shop” than a commercial establishment, Reddy said. Still, he said the secret to success is not anything he has done, but the work that his team does day in and day out. “Without them, I’m not here,” he said. The Curry House 279 N. Bender Ave., Humble 281-446-0314 www.thecurryhousehumble.com Lunch hours: Mon.-Fri. 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m., Sat.-Sun. 11:30 a.m.- 3 p.m. Dinner hours: Mon.-Thu. 5-9:30 p.m., Fri.-Sat. 5-10 p.m., Sun. 5-9 p.m.