Dum Aloo Gobi
Where: Flatiron District, NYC
What: Indian
Coming in at number two on my list of favorite restaurants in New York City (Extra Virgin being number one), Tamarind has me really turned on to Indian cuisine.
I have to start by giving props to my dad. He chose the restaurant by searching Zagat (?) and because of his love for Indian food, decided on Tamarind, an upscale authentic Indian dining experience.
I’ve always enjoyed Indian food, but I don’t usually even consider it when deciding on where to eat in Dallas. Maybe there’s a lack of Indian places here, or perhaps I just haven’t been looking hard enough.
Chicken Shahi Korma
Upon entering the restaurant, you are greeted by friendly staff members and your nose gets the royal treatment. I nearly melted when we first stepped in. The garlic and curry and all the delicious spices wafted through the air and made me even hungrier than I already was. Then, you walk a little further through their dining room and pass the open kitchen complete with tandoori ovens. And if you weren’t already convinced of the authenticity of the place, I noticed most tables were occupied by Indians and Indian-Americans alike. The food has to be good.
And it was. Although the menu was sort of confusing for a not-so-regular Indian food eater, the waiter was kind enough to explain everything. Before I go any further, I must preface the rest of my review with a warning: prepare to be extremely full.
To begin, I had the mango caipirinha (a fruity take on the traditional Brazilian cocktail) and my friend had the tamarind margarita. My drink was tasty, but not cold enough. They used freshly blended mango that was probably not refrigerated, so at least it was fresh. The tamarind margarita was delicious. Don’t even try to miss out on their innovative drink menu.
For our appetizer we ordered the Dum Aloo Gobi. Bear with me on these names. It was a potato and cauliflower dish simmered in onion tomato sauce. If you enjoy cauliflower, this dish is for you. I love cauliflower, so the crunchy texture paired with a mildly spicy and smoky flavored sauce was incredible. I’ve never tasted anything like it.
For my main dish I ordered the Chicken Shahi Korma. A roasted chicken in a saffron cashew sauce. Ok, I’m craving this right now just typing this. It came served in a deep silver dish with plenty of extra curry-like sauce. On the side, we all shared lemon flavored basmati rice. The waiter served the rice on my plate and topped it with my chicken dish (as you can see in the photo). I loved the friendly service. The chicken was cooked to perfection and the sauce was slightly creamy, but not too overwhelming. The mixture of spices made for a very exciting, but not too spicy dish.
Majjiga Pulusu
My dad ordered the Majjiga Pulusu. A large dish with green plantain, yam, radish, white pumpkin, carrots and okra with buttermilk, mustard seeds and curry leaves. The large bread-looking things in the center of his dish are kind of similar to an Indian equivalent of a popover. Because my dad doesn’t eat meat, this was one of many great vegetarian options.
Although your table will be full of food, the roti breads are not to be skipped. We ordered a basket of garlic nan. It was a delicious accompaniment to the meal, not to mention you can dip the nan in your extra sauces, or in my case, my curry.
Overall, insanely delicious flavors, a sexy dining experience and a staff that treats you like royalty. A hands down win on all fronts.
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Bon appétit,
ThatFoodieGirl
