by erin thursby scopes1925@msn.com
At India’s Restaurant, you will leave the table with a mixture of regret and satisfaction. You’ll have the satisfaction of having eaten a truly magnificent meal, but the regret that the experience is over.
It’s easy to taste why India’s Restaurant rates as the top Indian restaurant in the Jacksonville area. The lunch buffet here is an absolute steal at only $5.95. Entrées average about $11 during dinner and include rice, salad and raita yogurt.
Even something as straightforward as the rice deserves top marks. The rice at India’s Restaurant is Basmati rice, which comes exclusively from India (attempts to grow it in the states have resulted in an inferior rice). Fragrant as only Basmati rice can be, the chef delicately spices and flavors it with ghee butter. Such rice is surely served in heaven.
The cuisine at India’s Restaurant comes from the northwestern region of Punjab, which straddles India and Pakistan. Punjab, known as the granary of India, produces the majority of rice and wheat in the country. The regional cuisine is based on the use of creams and, of course, curries. Curry in Indian food is not made from the dry powder but rather from combinations of fresh ingredients and spices. Curry powder is an attempt to simplify the many ingredients that can go into a curry.
You may not think of bread when you think of Indian food, but a variety of breads are part of the Indian tradition. The classic Indian bread Naan originates in and around the Punjabi region and is leavened bread cooked in a clay oven (called a tandoor). It’s a great flat bread to sop up that last bit of curry sauce. Unleavened breads include Roti, which originates in southern India. Try a side order of Papad, a thin, crispy lentil wafer which is great snack for dipping in chutneys and sauces.
The spiciness of your meal can be turned up or down depending on your taste from mild to very hot. According to our helpful server, medium is about a four on a scale of one to 10, with 10 being the hottest. Mango Lassi, a mango-flavored yogurt drink, is one way to turn down the heat. Three types of Indian beers are available and go quite well with Indian cuisine. The usual soft drinks, iced tea, domestic beers or wines are also offered.
Like most Indian restaurants, India’s features a variety of vegetarian dishes. A spinach dish prepared with a cheese not unlike ricotta, the Saag Paneer is a deliciously hearty entrée choice. India’s Chaat is a vegetarian appetizer that includes pieces of deep fried fritter, yogurt, tomatoes and chic peas in a creamy Indian take on potato salad. The Chatt topped my list as favorite appetizer. You may want to share, as the Chatt is filling. Less adventurous types should give the Vegetable Pakora a try. It tastes a lot like a crispy hushpuppy with an Indian twist.
For the carnivorously inclined, options range from goat to chicken. Beef is not served, likely because it is a taboo to harm a cow in most places in India. Exceptionally tender, the Lamb Vindaloo is lamb is doused in a curry sauce of multifaceted heat with the flavor of India behind it. The Chicken Tikka Masala is served in a tomato-based curry and is excellent with garlic Nann. Try the Chicken Tandoori for something with much less bite. A seafood selection is also included. The fish used in these dishes is swordfish.
Kheer, rice pudding cooked with slivered almonds and raisins, is a time-honored choice for dessert. The Gulab Jamun is best described as donut holes saturated with sweet, heavy cream, served in sugary syrup and sprinkled with coconut. Both the Kheer and Gulab Jaman desserts are extremely creamy. If you seek something slightly fruitier, try the homemade mango ice cream.
End your meal with flavorful Chai instead of coffee. It goes nicely with whatever dessert you might choose to try. The aroma of Chai always reminds me of pumpkin pie spice. Served hot with plenty of milk, Chai is a richly flavored blend of cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, ginger and cardamom.
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