The Yellow Chilli, Buena Park

Strolling through a street market in Meerut, Chef Sanjeev Kapoor happened upon an odd yellow chilli nestled into a bunch of red and greens, which got him thinking about its place in Indian cuisine. The yellow chilli spice mix, he knew, was a balanced assemblage of color, flavor, and aroma in Meerut's wide variety of chaats (Indian savory snacks, served street-side). It was from this chance yellow chilli that the first restaurant was born, and has now expanded into a chain of 80 restaurants. And as Chef Kapoor expands, he comes closer to achieving his mission of making Indian food an accessible cuisine the world over.

Here's a look at some of The Yellow Chilli's signature dishes:

• Shaam Savera: spinach koftas stuffed with cottage cheese on a bed of tasty tomato gravy
• Kali Dal: black lentils mixed with spices, tomatoes, and cream, then simmered for 36 hours
• Murgh Survedaar: a spicy chicken curry flavored with black pepper and coriander
• Prawn Pulao: Long grain rice cooked with tenderly simmered prawns
• Gulab-e-Gulkand: spongy milk-based balls soaked in a sugar syrup and stuffed with rose-petal compote

The Yellow Chilli also offers a pre-fixe menu, such as:

• Two soups or salads
• Six pieces of assorted appetizers
• Three curries of choice
• Two desserts of choice