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Downtown York waited a long time for its own Indian restaurant. So when Hamir’s concept won accolades at the Taste Test Restaurant Incubator, the city was ready. The program offers restaurateurs guidance, a trial run and, potentially, alternative funding for its own venue.
Hamir’s surprises. Its Indian fusion cuisine is prepared with fresh ingredients presented in irresistible ways. The space is colorful, spare, contemporary; the sound track majors on 40s torch songs rather than sitar instrumentals. But what might lead you to make this a regular cog in your restaurant rotation is the hospitality.
Making guests feel special is a defining mark of Hamir’s. After you’ve devoured every scrap of your appetizer (don’t miss the samosas), while you’re savoring your entrée, the chef himself comes over to see how you’re enjoying your meal. Despite chef Hamir’s long stint managing a restaurant chain, this is no scripted check-in. It’s more of a “welcome to the family” kind of visit.
“It’s all about connecting with our guests,” he says. “We are in no rush; we want families and friends who come here to feel like they do when kids come home for the holidays. They’re gathered together, enjoying themselves.”
Opportunity through Charity
Two things stand out about Hamir Patel, who’s lived in York for 15 years. Patel grew up in Bombay (now Mumbai), but he did not grow up cooking. He began just five years ago when a friend who is a breast cancer survivor asked him to stage a live cooking show for a Cooking for a Cause fundraiser. He said yes and kept saying yes. By then he was in demand as a personal chef. Then along came York’s restaurant incubator. His concept passed three test modules, drawing enthusiastic support.
“The response was very strong,” he says, always positive. “My clients followed me to the pop-up trial and then eventually here. It’s a wonderful, giving community; it cultivates and influences you.” Hamir is always thanking someone: the owners of the Handsome Cab, interior designer Susan McDaniels, his staff and family, his fellow chef he brought out of retirement.
The menus are thoughtfully curated for the special needs of diners. Having created a vegan appetizer and entree, Hamir fashioned a vegan dessert to round out the experience, and voila! Vegan chai crème brulee was born. All the sauces but one—the tikka masala—are gluten-free and vegan. Additions such as chicken, shrimp, or vegetables can be paired with any sauce. Guests just investigating can order the Thali, which offers a sampling of Hamir’s courses. It’s BYOB, so you can combine favorites with house-made beverages concocted of Indian soda and fresh fruit. Just bring the rum, and your coconut mojito is complete.
New on offer is an ambrosial, dairy-free version of Hamir’s mango lassi; the original, still available, is created with house-made yogurt. Not that you’ll need a lassi to cool your palate. “Indian food is known as spicy,” says Chef Hamir, “but it doesn’t have to be. I keep the flavors spice-neutral, balanced, to bring out the depth of flavors.” After one month at the restaurant, he changed his way of cooking: “I try to keep it as healthy as possible, using about a third of the oil as is traditional.”
Chef Hamir devises his own curry powder and garam masala spice mixes, and he grinds his own cumin daily. His dishes’ distinct flavors and textures incorporate global influences from Africa to Asia to the Mediterranean. The results? Inventions like crab soup infused with ginger and cardamom.
The Real Taste Testers
To understand Hamir’s culinary vetting process, you’d have to meet his food groupies: Denise Gilliland, Kathleen Smith, Bonnie Giambalvo, and Dr. Kim Mudge. They’re a kind of sound check, only for food. They evaluate every recipe until it is so finely tuned it deserves a spot on the menu. (It’s a tough job, but they did volunteer.)
Charity and a passion for food are a big part of the owner’s particular brand of success. “It’s the giving and caring that got me here,” he says. “The community magnified what I was doing a thousand times.” Now that Hamir’s is up and running, its founder has a new goal: giving back.
Hamir’s Indian Fusion
24 S. George St., York, PA | 717-430-4173 | hamirs.com
