Jai Ho closes in Aurora -- but two siblings are still serving

Sathya and Sujatha Narayan -- an architect and a realtor, respectively, and both natives of Southern India -- had never run a restaurant, but when they moved to Denver ten years ago and saw a gaping hole in Denver's Indian food scene, they couldn't resist picking up a strip-mall spot...

By Patricia Calhoun

January 31, 2014

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Sathya and Sujatha Narayan -- an architect and a realtor, respectively, and both natives of Southern India -- had never run a restaurant, but when they moved to Denver ten years ago and saw a gaping hole in Denver's Indian food scene, they couldn't resist picking up a strip-mall spot and opening Jai Ho in 2010. But now that restaurant is closed, leaving a gaping hole in Aurora's dining scene. See also: Ten best Indian restaurants in metro Denver

With Jai Ho, the couple wanted to move away from the Anglicized northern dishes found on most Indian menus around town and instead offer a broad taste of the country, focusing particularly on the south. And while they allowed familiar staples to creep in -- like tikka masala and tandoori chicken -- they also managed to put together a board highlighting the specialties of Kerala, Hyderabad and Tamil Nadu unlike any other in town. Our restaurant reviewer raved about the place soon after it opened, praising both the food and the sense of humor with which it was presented.

But while the original Jai Ho has closed its doors, the Narayans are still in the restaurant business -- and a sign on the door points disappoined customers to the two other places they know own: Khazana behind the Park Meadows Mall, and Jai Ho Bolder in Boulder.

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Patricia Calhoun is editor-in-chief of Westword, the alt-weekly she co-founded in September 1977. She’s been inducted into the Colorado Press Association Hall of Fame, the Association of Alternative Newsmedia Hall of Fame and the Colorado Restaurant Association Hall of Fame. She’s also received dozens of local, state and national awards for writing, including first place for feature writing and first place for column writing with the Society of Professional Journalists. Patricia is a weekly commentator on Colorado Inside Out, PBS 12's public affairs roundtable, which has won two Emmys.

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