INSIDE DISH
Aman’s
Artisan Indian Cuisine FOOD, FAMILY AND FAITH DRIVE THIS RESTAURANT’S PURSUIT OF EXCELLENCE BY SUSAN GOTTSHALL | PHOTOGRAPHY BY ALISON CONKLIN
SUKI JAS GAGAN
DAD (BALDEV)
58 F E B R U A R Y 2 0 2 4 : L E H I G H VA L L E Y S T Y L E . C O M
BALLY AMAN
MOM (AMARJEET)
Patrons drive two hours from Manhattan to dine at Easton’s Aman’s Artisan Indian Cuisine. California parents of Lafayette College students make reservations here a year in advance to ensure a table the next time they’re in town. Add an OpenTable Diners’ Choice award every year since 2019 and Tripadvisor’s “Best of the Best World Top 10% Restaurant” awards in 2020 and 2022, and it’s pretty clear Aman’s has a following. For good reason. The Bansal family followed a vision and passion for food from their previous venture, Aman’s Indian Bistro, to Easton’s city center in 2019 when they launched this BYOB. They wanted to build a restaurant that “elevates the experience of Indian cuisine,” says Jasmeet Bansal, kitchen manager, chef and marketing lead—a restaurant offering an experience that rivals those found in world-class cities. For Aman’s, that starts with serving the best food possible—its foundation based in “fresh-batch cooking,” as CEO Baljeet Bansal puts it, or cooking food from scratch when it’s ordered. Because Aman’s food is “all about flavor,” says Sukhjeet Bansal, front-end operations manager, maximizing flavor goes hand in hand with the freshly cooked fare. To that end, spices— cumin, coriander, cinnamon and cardamom, to name just a few—are roasted and ground fresh in house; Aman’s garam masala is blended on the premises. There’s no food coloring or artificial ingredients, and meat and vegetables are cut in the restaurant’s kitchen. Freshness is key. “What we are really proud of is the authenticity