Bombay Grill
3201 Bee Caves Rd., 329-0234Lunch, Monday-Friday, 11am-2:30pm;
Dinner, Sunday-Thursday, 5:30-9:30pm; Friday-Saturday, 5:30-10:30pm
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 biryanis, casseroles of sorts made with basmati rice, spices, and a choice of meat or vegetables in spicy sauces, are especially good.
Sarovar
8440 Burnet Rd., 454-8636Monday-Friday, 11am-2:30pm, 5-10pm;
Saturday-Sunday, 11am-3:30pm, 5-11pm
This busy North Austin restaurant offers the most extensive Indian menu in the city, with pages of North and South Indian specialties. The sheer number of choices can be overwhelming and the menu descriptions are scant, but the wait staff can make well-informed suggestions when you can get their attention. Vegetarians will be pleased to find that there are about 40 vegetable dishes offered, from various entrées 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 offers the best opportunity to acquaint yourself with Sarovar’s bountiful diversity.
The Clay Pit
1601 Guadalupe, 322-5131Lunch, Monday-Friday, 11am-2pm;
Happy Hour, Monday-Friday, 4-6pm;
Dinner, Sunday-Thursday, 5-10pm; Friday-Saturday, 5-11pm
The dynamic, sophisticated cooking at the Clay Pit can best be described as “contemporary Indian cuisine,” in which the pairing of traditional Indian techniques and flavors with items such as mussels and salmon makes every dining experience at the Clay Pit memorable. The daily lunch buffet is very satisfying, and the happy hour is a great place to chill out after a hard day at the Capitol. The wait staff has been trained to offer all entrées prepared mild, medium, hot, or desi hot for the true chile head. Located in the historic Bertram Building, the Clay Pit books special events in the Bombay Room upstairs.
Taj Palace
6700 Middle Fiskville, 452-9959 Daily, 11:30am-2pm; 5:30-10pm
Many Austinites savored their first taste of Indian cuisine at Taj Palace, the longest established local Indian restaurant where the royal court cuisine of North India is served in an attractive setting. 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 MoPac at Anderson Lane, but it’s worth seeking out. The house specialty here is the Maharaja Dinner, 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 biryanis, a spicy curry, or a tangy vindaloo. Try the Keema Naan, tandoor-cooked flatbread stuffed with spiced ground lamb, or the Aloo Paratha, whole-wheat bread stuffed with potatoes and peas.
This article appears in April 11 • 2003.