At Khaki, the newly opened modern Indian bar and canteen at City Center Bishop Ranch in San Ramon, California, recently opened by visionary restaurateur Akash Kapoor (of Curry Up Now fame), Head Chef Krishna Gupthan is rewriting the Indian dining narrative for the Bay Area.
This is not just a restaurant; it’s a cultural conversation. Khaki’s menu is a roadmap through pre- and post-independence India, told through vibrant plates, California’s market-fresh produce, and a dose of nostalgia for the rebellious spirit of the 1950s and ’60s. The result is a deeply personal, modern interpretation of Indian comfort food that’s both rooted in memory and globally fluent. Co-founder Sujan Sarkar helped lay the groundwork for what Gupthan is executing daily on the ground.
Small Plates with Big Stories
Our meal began with ragda pani puri, crisp semolina shells stuffed with spiced white peas, topped with tamarind, green chutneys and chilled mango water, delivering an explosion of sweet-sour-spicy complexity that epitomizes the joy of chaat.
The edamame avocado bhel (a gluten-free dish) is a clever update of the Mumbai street-cart staple, mixing creamy avocado and edamame with puffed black rice, green apple, mango, radish, and togarashi for a healthful yet indulgent starter that feels tailor-made for California palates.
Vegetarian Innovation
The zucchini and ricotta kofta arrives like a jewel box of flavor — golden dumplings made lighter with ricotta, nestled in a silky, spiced tomato-onion gravy. It’s a dish that nods to Mughal-era luxury with a “gravy” that’s more textbook-sauce-elegant than ad hoc down-home.
Regional Reverence
Seafood lovers will find poetry in the meen pollichathu, a Kerala-style recipe in which a whole branzino is marinated in a fiery masala, wrapped in banana leaf, and grilled until smoky and aromatic, evoking the coconut-lined backwaters of South India and served with a delicately sweet coconut rice.
Colonial-Era Comfort
One of the menu’s most classic offerings is the dak bungalow chicken, a rustic curry whose roots trace back to British-era “rest houses” where cooks would improvise with what they had on hand. At Khaki, the curry is refined but retains its soulful, garlic-and-spice punch, perfect with a side of aged basmati rice or house-made naan or roti.
Cocktails & Canteen Vibes
Khaki’s cocktail program is as thoughtful as its food, with Indian gins, house-infused spirits, and spiced garnishes that tie into the culinary narrative. The design is a warm collaboration with Kolkata-based studio Curryfwd and mirrors the menu’s ethos: minimal yet textured, nostalgic yet forward-looking— an Indian canteen reimagined through a California lens.
Gupthan’s global resume spans kitchens in Chennai, Delhi, Bangkok, Ireland, and California, with a standout tenure at the world-renowned Gaggan, widely regarded as one of Asia’s best restaurants. His fine-dining precision is balanced by Dilmar Singh’s grounded, soulful approach, creating a menu that’s both daring and deeply comforting.
Why You Should Go
Khaki is more than a restaurant — it’s an immersive storytelling experience. With its creative menu, craft cocktails, and modernist aesthetic, it offers Bay Area diners a rare chance to taste India’s past, present, and future in one sitting. Come hungry for both food and story.
Khaki is located at City Center Bishop Ranch in San Ramon. The restaurant is closed on Mondays. Dinner service runs Sunday and Tuesday–Thursday from 5–9 p.m., and Friday–Saturday until 10 p.m. Weekend lunch is available Saturday and Sunday from 11:30 a.m.–3 p.m., and a lively Social Hour runs Tuesday-Sunday from 4-6 pm on the patio and in the bar— an excellent time to sample cocktails and small bites. Visit www.wearekhaki.com for more information.