Mmm…Indian food? It’s been years since I’ve eaten at an Indian restaurant, so I was curious how much I would enjoy today’s lunch. Located in Artesia, the area is pretty lively with people walking up and down the street, and cars parked all along the street. The restaurant is not too big, and if you have a larger party of six or more, there are tables that can be put together to create a long table.
This is one of the few times that I did not look at the menu (or restaurant) before arriving, so I had absolutely no idea what to expect! The menu has a lot of selections, and there is even a section labeled Indo-Chinese food, which I was not expecting. It was helpful that there are descriptions for the dishes on the menu. We decided to do family-style so that we could try more things.
Appetizer
Amritsari Fish – a popular Indian dish, originated in the city of Amritsar in the state of Punjab. Known for its unique blend of flavors and spices, the dish features white fish like sole or cod, marinated in a mixture of Indian spices and then deep-fried until golden and crispy. I enjoyed this appetizer! It was light and had such good flavor. The breading is not too thick, so make sure to pick it up with care or the fish may fall apart! I especially liked the green sauce that it was served with too.
Breads & Sides
Garlic Naan – naan topped with garlic and cilantro. The garlic naan was delicious. It was fresh and still very hot when it was served! This was perfect to dip in all the different sauces we ordered. Each order is supposed to come with four pieces for $3.99. We got 6 orders for 7 people, but we didn’t count all the pieces to check how many were in the basket. We only had a few pieces left over.
Raita, $3.99 – a popular and refreshing yogurt-based side dish, made with yogurt and vegetables, fruits, herbs, and spices. A versatile accompaniment that adds a cooling element to spicy dishes. This was good with both the rice entree and the garlic naan that we ordered! I’d definitely order this again when I get Indian food. I would check if any of the rice dishes come with it already though.
Entrees
I was honestly a bit surprised when the entrees showed up. It looked so much smaller than I had imagined in my head, and I started wondering if we had ordered enough to eat. It turned out to be more than enough!
Goat Biryani – Rice cooked with goat and spices. This rice was good. I added some raita to go with the rice and it paired very well. The goat meat comes with bones in it. I’m curious about some of the other meat options they have for their rice entrees. For the price, I was definitely expecting it to be slightly bigger. However, if you’re ordering other dishes to share, it might be good that you’re saving more room for the naan and sauces.
Saag Paneer – homemade cheese cooked with creamy spinach. The Saag Paneer is from the vegetarian part of their menu. I liked how their homemade cheese came in thick slices. This is a great sauce to choose as a vegetarian option – it’s very creamy!
Goat Curry – bone-in goat pieces cooked in traditional sauce. I thought the Goat Curry didn’t stand out as much as the other entrees that we ordered. The sauce was pretty standard and was good overall. I would try something else next time.
Lamb Vindaloo – lamb cooked in a specially prepared hot and spicy sauce. We ordered the Lamb Vindaloo at medium spicy level. I loved the spicy kick, although I wonder if the spiciness came from the dish itself and not because we ordered it at medium spicy. I also really liked the flavors of this red sauce and it got my stomach wanting more. This is definitely my second favorite sauce of this meal.
Butter Chicken – chicken cooked in a creamy tomato sauce. The Butter Chicken was my favorite. The chicken was perfect and I was surprised that the chicken was not overcooked! The creamy tomato sauce was also pretty addicting. If I had the whole bowl to myself, I would wipe it clean with the naan! We ordered this at medium spicy level, but it was not spicy at all, which I was a bit disappointed about.
Overall, this was a good meal. Being able to try so many different sauces was definitely a plus, since I could compare which one I liked more after every bite! I really liked the Garlic Naan. Knowing how spicy the food is now, I’d want to order another spice level higher next time, or request that it truly be spicy (I may regret this). Would I come back? I don’t think I have been to enough Indian restaurants to say that I’d come back for another meal here. It was good, but could there be better out there?