Hi there Guys,
As you folks that read this blog know, I have been on a seemingly never ending quest to find a curry house that can match those in London. Well, the curry gods must have heard my prayers, because they've been answered! Admittedly, I found the place via a Groupon, which I've never used before. However, am I glad I did!
Being a seasoned Indian food vet, I took the liberty of ordering the starters for our table. Onion Pakoras and Puppodom (spelling?) were what I chose. When my friend Jeff arrived after a few minutes, we also ordered the Morag Pakora. Okay, let's explain for those not "in the know." Onion pakoras are basically shaved onion that has been battered and fried. They're absolutely addicting and these ones were top-notch! Puppodoms are essentially fried lentil crackers. They are served with different chutneys that compliment the flavor of the crackers. I think I order them due to a force of habit, not necessarily because I like them... however, these were nicely seasoned. Jeff ordered the Morag Pakora, which is a spiced battered chicken nugget. The spices gave them a very fragrant taste which I have never experienced. I will be ordering that again! (Puppodoms- $1.99, Onion Pakoras- $2.99 and Morag Pokora- $3.99).
The menu has a wide variety of meats and vegetarian options. One noticeable item missing (that is usually on crappy Indian places menus was beef, as it should be). I noticed that they had Sheekh Kebab, which is minced lamb seasoned and shaped around a skewer. I cannot think of one other Indian establishment in the area that does these. Very nice, but that's for next time.
Christina ordered the Savzi Tandoor, which is fresh veggies that have been marinated in a sour cream sauce and cooked in the Tandoor (clay) oven. The portion was huge and the flavor, delicious! If you're a vegetarian, I would recommend this dish highly ($8.99).
Jeff opted for a seafood dish, Shrimp Madras, which is a a tomato based sauce that has a bit of a kick (although, the restaurant asks that you specify how hot you want to go--on all dishes, a nice touch!). The shrimp were nicely sized and portioned towards the large side ($12.99). Jeff also ordered Puri, which is a fried bread which puffs out like a pillow when it's brought to your table. Think fried dough without the sugar. It's a fun side to eat, especially if you bring kids ($1.99).
So, I wanted to keep things simple as I usually do when ordering from a new place. My reason being, if they do basics well, that's a good sign. If they don't, run! I opted for Chicken Korma, which is a almond cream based sauce with chunks of chicken in it. I asked for them to spice it "medium" as it's generally on the mild side anyway. It wasn't a disappointment. On the contrary, it was very tasty and the sauce was nice and rich (and bad for ya!) ($8.99). I also opted for a vegetable side dish, as I feel like the rice that accompanies the meal isn't enough. My only let down is that they don't do smaller side orders and that you have to order a full sized portion. In this case, I ordered Saag Poneer, which is a creamed spinach dish served with homemade chunks of cheese. It was very authentically spiced, meaning it had some bite ($9.99). The last item that I ordered was one that I have missed dearly since being back in the States. The Jewel Nan ($3.99), is a coconut stuffed nan bread (usually referred to as Peshwari Nan in the UK). It was a nice thing to see it on the menu, as the sweetness in the bread offsets the sometimes brutally hot dishes like Vindaloo or Phall. I just like it when you dip it into your sauce.
The only drawbacks of the is restaurant are: The owners can't spell to save their lives (and the menu items might look a bit different that what you're used to-- but they're the same). Secondly, the restaurant doesn't have a liquor license (which can also be a good thing), so you need to plan ahead and BYOB. In our case, the waiter was more than happy to run across the street for us to grab some beers.
The service was attentive and the staff knowledgeable (which is a good thing if you are a rookie at eating Indian food). The interior is also very London-esque, it reminded me of my local curry house in Marylebone. Overall, I think this Indian place beats the rest in the Albany area, hands down. Let's call it "Albany's little slice of Brick Lane." I will be back and I highly recommend it to anyone that likes Indian food. Hope you enjoy it as much as I did!
Rating: 9/10
P.S. They offer a buffet for lunch at $7.99, which is a bargain!
Jewel of India on Lark
As you folks that read this blog know, I have been on a seemingly never ending quest to find a curry house that can match those in London. Well, the curry gods must have heard my prayers, because they've been answered! Admittedly, I found the place via a Groupon, which I've never used before. However, am I glad I did!
Being a seasoned Indian food vet, I took the liberty of ordering the starters for our table. Onion Pakoras and Puppodom (spelling?) were what I chose. When my friend Jeff arrived after a few minutes, we also ordered the Morag Pakora. Okay, let's explain for those not "in the know." Onion pakoras are basically shaved onion that has been battered and fried. They're absolutely addicting and these ones were top-notch! Puppodoms are essentially fried lentil crackers. They are served with different chutneys that compliment the flavor of the crackers. I think I order them due to a force of habit, not necessarily because I like them... however, these were nicely seasoned. Jeff ordered the Morag Pakora, which is a spiced battered chicken nugget. The spices gave them a very fragrant taste which I have never experienced. I will be ordering that again! (Puppodoms- $1.99, Onion Pakoras- $2.99 and Morag Pokora- $3.99).
The menu has a wide variety of meats and vegetarian options. One noticeable item missing (that is usually on crappy Indian places menus was beef, as it should be). I noticed that they had Sheekh Kebab, which is minced lamb seasoned and shaped around a skewer. I cannot think of one other Indian establishment in the area that does these. Very nice, but that's for next time.
Christina ordered the Savzi Tandoor, which is fresh veggies that have been marinated in a sour cream sauce and cooked in the Tandoor (clay) oven. The portion was huge and the flavor, delicious! If you're a vegetarian, I would recommend this dish highly ($8.99).
Jeff opted for a seafood dish, Shrimp Madras, which is a a tomato based sauce that has a bit of a kick (although, the restaurant asks that you specify how hot you want to go--on all dishes, a nice touch!). The shrimp were nicely sized and portioned towards the large side ($12.99). Jeff also ordered Puri, which is a fried bread which puffs out like a pillow when it's brought to your table. Think fried dough without the sugar. It's a fun side to eat, especially if you bring kids ($1.99).
So, I wanted to keep things simple as I usually do when ordering from a new place. My reason being, if they do basics well, that's a good sign. If they don't, run! I opted for Chicken Korma, which is a almond cream based sauce with chunks of chicken in it. I asked for them to spice it "medium" as it's generally on the mild side anyway. It wasn't a disappointment. On the contrary, it was very tasty and the sauce was nice and rich (and bad for ya!) ($8.99). I also opted for a vegetable side dish, as I feel like the rice that accompanies the meal isn't enough. My only let down is that they don't do smaller side orders and that you have to order a full sized portion. In this case, I ordered Saag Poneer, which is a creamed spinach dish served with homemade chunks of cheese. It was very authentically spiced, meaning it had some bite ($9.99). The last item that I ordered was one that I have missed dearly since being back in the States. The Jewel Nan ($3.99), is a coconut stuffed nan bread (usually referred to as Peshwari Nan in the UK). It was a nice thing to see it on the menu, as the sweetness in the bread offsets the sometimes brutally hot dishes like Vindaloo or Phall. I just like it when you dip it into your sauce.
The only drawbacks of the is restaurant are: The owners can't spell to save their lives (and the menu items might look a bit different that what you're used to-- but they're the same). Secondly, the restaurant doesn't have a liquor license (which can also be a good thing), so you need to plan ahead and BYOB. In our case, the waiter was more than happy to run across the street for us to grab some beers.
The service was attentive and the staff knowledgeable (which is a good thing if you are a rookie at eating Indian food). The interior is also very London-esque, it reminded me of my local curry house in Marylebone. Overall, I think this Indian place beats the rest in the Albany area, hands down. Let's call it "Albany's little slice of Brick Lane." I will be back and I highly recommend it to anyone that likes Indian food. Hope you enjoy it as much as I did!
Rating: 9/10
P.S. They offer a buffet for lunch at $7.99, which is a bargain!
Jewel of India on Lark
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