re: Help with Indian food

Went today. A newb to Indian cuisine. Had it once a long time ago.

Got the butter chicken and the pesto naan. It was great. Very little chicken in it, but that is fine by me.

Will say that service could be a bunch better, but a lot of that is my ignorance of what to order and so forth. The wait staff are local folks, so a bit of the blind leading the blind.

Started off on the wrong foot, ordered unsweet tea. No tea. Seemed to have some Indian beverages, but I dont know what they are so I just got water.

Would be nice to have a lunch menu with lunch prices and portions as the price was pretty high for lunch, but there was a bunch of food.

Can't go wrong with Butter Chicken if you're new to Indian food

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service could be a bunch better

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Went for dinner. Garlic naan, butter chicken and chili chicken app.

Food came out quick. Ordered more naan on the fly and was out hot n fresh within 5 mins. They’re for sure understaffed but waitress tried her best.

Will be back!

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Started off on the wrong foot, ordered unsweet tea. No tea. Seemed to have some Indian beverages, but I dont know what they are so I just got water.

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Indian tea is called called "chai" and it's delicious.

Also don't say "I would like some chai tea because that's like saying I would like some tea tea"

Just order chai.


Indian is by far and away my favorite food.

If you're lucky enough to eat somewhere they serve parotta bread you gotta get that over naan!! It's like naan but flaky layers and it's outstanding.

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Did you try it yet ?

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No, not sure when I will get to go. Pretty busy weekend.

I came into the thread ready to mention Lamb/Goat Vindaloo but it looks like everyone else has that covered, and I see it's not on the menu anyways.

Biryani might be a good intro to Indian for you unless you are ready to go for it and try something off the wall. Think of it as an Indian version of fried rice much much better. You'll get some of the flavors that are common in Indian food but it's much more approachable.

Vindaloo can be very spicy depending on the restaurant and whether the owners treat you like a pathetic white person or if they don't give a frick. Korma is a creamier and less intense sauce that is also very good.

I typically don't go for the tikka masalas, but if you enjoy roast chicken, then tandoori chicken would be a good option as well. In fact, a combo of tandoori chicken and a biryani dish would be a good start.

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Biryani might be a good intro to Indian for you unless you are ready to go for it and try something off the wall. Think of it as an Indian version of fried rice much much better.

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birawachi point here in franklin FTW!!

i tend to get the boneless chicken biryani because its easier to eat but i think the flavor of the bone-in chicken is better. it comes with a whole egg, some white yogurt sauce & yellow curry sauce you add after you get it and mix it altogether



its literally the best thing ever.



i go eat on the patio and order a taj mahal beer to go with it.

I know this sounds foolish and juvenile, but I would be so damn intimidated by the two bowls of sauce. I may end up just washing my hands with em. I really need an Indian friend to go sit with..or one of you guys to come in for lunch.

I remember the first time I tried Saag Paneer. (Paneer is tofu.) It’s not an attractive looking dish. It was at the first Indian restaurant I ever dined at, a place on campus called Taj Mahal. They’re not there anymore. But one day a friend and I were there for the lunch buffet and everything wasn’t just good, it was outstanding. I figured that grandma must be cooking in the kitchen that day so I tried the Saag. It was great. It’s not a dish I’ll try at new Indian restaurants until they’ve established themselves as being able to make other dishes well. Same with goat. Never try the goat on your first trip to the buffet.

If I was a vegetarian then I would eat Indian food almost exclusively. I know of an all vegetarian Indian restaurant and on Mother’s Day that place is slammed with a lot of Indian families and ladies dressed in colorful saris. What more of an endorsement do you need? I’m an omnivore so I’ve only dined there a handful of times but they’re pretty good.

Also, a more recent favorite Indian restaurant of mine changed owners a few years ago and I can’t eat there anymore. But before they changed hands I once asked a waiter what kind of charcoal they used to fire the tandoor. He brought out a bag to show me. It was Royal Oak. It wasn’t branded as Royal Oak, it was branded as Gordon Food Service, but it was Royal Oak. (Same as Big Green Egg branded lump charcoal.)

Tofu is “cheese” made from beans. It’s tofu.

At least that’s true of all the paneer I’ve ever had. There’s been no dairy involved.