For isle residents whose food nostalgia extends beyond oxtail soup and saimin to Indian cuisine, India Bazaar Madras Curry has been a mainstay, an affordable place to get delicious fare since 1988. Notable regulars through the years have been testament to the quality of the food, since those folks could probably have had any food from any restaurant anytime they wished — think Bette Midler, members of the band the Red Hot Chili Peppers and no less than Doris Duke.

The restaurant’s original location is in a rustic, humble strip mall, across Stadium Park on King Street. In May owner Shan Parmley opened a second location in Kailua at Enchanted Lake Shopping Center.

About the business: Parmley is the second generation to run the family biz, or the third, depending on how you look at it — his mother and grandmother opened India Bazaar in 1988.

“It started as a grocery store — that’s why the name — and around 1989 or 1990 my grandma started serving food. She was cooking for the family and let customers try some,” he recalled. “Back then I believe there were only two Indian restaurants: India House and us.”

What to order: Parmley learned the family recipes that Grandma and Mom served through the years, but he’s focused mostly on mastering their cooking techniques. He supplements the classics with new recipes sparked by what he sees online.

The daily menu includes a beloved basmati rice seasoned with turmeric and mustard and dotted with split mung beans, and the sole meat option, a masala chicken curry. The rest of the lineup comprises about six vegetarian selections, rotated from the family’s repertoire, plus paratha, a flaky flatbread that Parmley bakes fairly regularly.

Longtime favorites include tofu curry, seasoned with cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, anise and fennel; vegetable coconut curry, uniquely flavored with cashew butter; spinach dhal, cooked with boiled and peeled split mung beans and mustard seeds; potato stir-fry; and a hearty kabocha cauliflower.

Prices: Plates start with basmati rice and are priced according to the number of choices selected. Veggie plates are $6.50 to $10.50. Chicken plates run $7.50 to $11.50. At $2, paratha is extra.

Grab and go: The King Street spot offers respite from the heat; it is a clean, no-frills venue with a half-dozen or so tables for those who want to sit down and eat a quick meal. In Kailua the space is casual but rather upscale in comparison, featuring art on the walls and live music.

Parking: Both locations have lots, but the King Street lot often fills up during lunch and dinner hours.