Second Helpings: Indian
Fri., Oct. 15, 1999
Bombay Grill
3201 Bee Caves Road, 329-0234
Mon-Fri, 11am-2:30pm; 5:30-9:30pm
Sat-Sun, 5:30-9:30pm
Owned and operated by the same family that runs Star of India, this comfortable West Lake eatery offers a selection of traditional Indian dishes at very reasonable prices. The popular weekday lunch buffet is a great way to sample a variety of different items. For dinner, it's possible to choose individual items from the tandoor oven or a mixed grill that includes chicken, lamb, and prawns. Vegetarians will appreciate the Vegetable Bhojan, a hearty combination dinner showcasing many delightful veggie dishes. The Biryani, a casserole of sorts made with basmati rice, spices, and a choice of meat or vegetables in spicy sauces, is especially good.
India Cuisine
1011 Reinli, 454-2228
Daily,11:30am-2:30pm; 5:30-10pm
Nestled near the busy freeway, India Cuisine is a pleasant, unassuming little restaurant with an inviting menu. The $5.99 daily lunch buffet makes it possible to sample an array of traditional Indian favorites. Vegetarian and meat dishes are carefully separated, and the vegetarian selections are numerous and satisfying. While there's no beef on the menu, there are ample lamb specialties and a hefty list of chicken curries to please even the hungriest carnivore. Several combination dinners featuring mixed grills or curries and kebabs recently caught our eye, as did a special children's dinner of vegetables, tandoori chicken, naan, rice, salad, and a soft drink for under $5. Looks like a great way to encourage culinary adventure for the younger generation.
Sarovar
8440 Burnet Road, 454-8636
Mon-Fri, 11am-2:30pm; 5-10pm
Sat-Sun, 5-10pm
This busy north Austin restaurant offers the most extensive Indian menu in the city, 20 pages of Northern and Southern Indian specialties. The sheer number of choices can be overwhelming, and the menu descriptions are scant, but the waitstaff is usually willing to make well-informed suggestions. Vegetarians will be pleased to find there are 40 vegetable dishes offered, from various entrees featuring homemade paneer cheese to the interesting Vegetable Kafta. Chicken, lamb, and seafood appear in curries, kebabs, and tandoor dishes. Once again, a lunch buffet ($6.95) offers the best opportunity to aquaint yourself with Sarovar's bountiful diversity.
Little Bombay
9616 N. Lamar, 339-0808
Tue-Sun, 11:30am-9:30pm
We consider ourselves lucky that readers tipped us off about this unassuming little Indian street food joint in a north Austin strip center. Otherwise, we might not have found it for some time. Now that we're informed, count us as enthusiastic fans. Little Bombay specializes in the foods of Southern India, a satisfying selection of hearty, flavorful vegetarian dishes. In our experience, many items are deep-fried but emerge from the fryer crisp and light. The accommodations are very casual but the food is first-rate.
The Clay Pit
1601 Guadalupe, 322-5131
Mon-Thu, 11am-2pm; 5-10pm
Fri-Sat, 11am-2pm; 5-11pm
The talented Maqbool Ahmed cooked in India, Europe, the Far East, and the West Coast before coming to Austin as chef of the Clay Pit, where they describe his dynamic, sophisticated cooking as "contemporary Indian cuisine." Ahmed's pairing of traditional Indian techniques and flavors with items such as mussels and salmon, plus a diverse selection of robustly seasoned vegetarian choices, make every dining experience at the Clay Pit memorable. Mussels in Garlic Curry Sauce and Chicken Kursh-i-Tursh are two of the chef's signature specialties. The waitstaff has been trained to offer all entrees prepared mild, medium, hot, or desi, "hot" for the true chile head. Located in the historic Bertram Building, the Clay Pit has recently added a jazz club called the Bombay Room upstairs.
Taj Palace
6700 Middle Fiskville Road, 452-9959
Daily, 11am-2pm; 5:30-10pm
Many Austinites savored their first taste of Indian cuisine at Taj Palace, the longest-established local Indian restaurant. They specialize in delicious, low-calorie dishes from the tandoor; chicken, lamb, shrimp, and fish are marinated with herbs and spices before cooking in the ultra-hot clay oven. An inviting selection of vegetarian offerings include the buttery Paneer Makhni Masala, homemade cheese in a creamy tomato sauce, and Malai Kofta, vegetable dumplings in an almond cream sauce. It's also possible to make a filling meal with appetizers of vegetable or chicken pakoras fried in delicate chickpea flour, Mulligatawny soup, and several baskets of fresh, hot naan bread from the tandoor.
Star of India
2900 W. Anderson, 452-8199
Daily, 11am-2:30pm; 5:30-10pm
The northwest sibling of West Lake's Bombay Grill is tucked into a strip mall in the shadow of the MoPac at Anderson Lane but it's worth seeking out. The house specialty here is the Maharaja Dinner ($19.95), an enormous spread fit for royalty. Feast on Chicken Pakora, spicy Prawn Bhuna, Saag Gosht (lamb), Tandoori Chicken, Chicken Tikka, Boti Kebab, Seekh Kebab, Onion Kulcha (bread), pilau rice, and coffee or tea! Lesser mortals will be sated by one of the Biryani, a spicy curry or a tangy vindaloo. Try the Keema Naan, tandoor-cooked flat bread stuffed with spiced ground lamb, or the Aloo Paratha, whole wheat bread stuffed with potatoes and peas.
