Andhra stuff at Priya, in Schaumburg

Hi Folks,

I wondered if anyone had eaten at Priya out in schaumburg? I'm occasionally forced out that way for Ikea purposes and noticed a number of Andhra style things on their menu, specifically I wondered if folks had tried the Chicken Chitinad, Karaikudi Chicken, or the various fish frys.

Priya Indian Restaurant
939 W Wise Rd
Schaumburg, IL 60193
847-301-2491
www.priya-restaurant.com

I really like this place. The Chettinad dishes are very good, as are most other things I've had there. They also do a nice job with Indo-Chinese. Lunch buffet on weekends is a good bet. Haven't had the fish fry (only available weekends I think) but I've been eyeing it as well. Along with Dakshin (now serving non-veg dishes!) , Milan Chat and the nearby Vishnu foods, one of my favorites in the area.

Is that Andrha cuisine? I thought Kairikudi was Tamil or Malayalee (maybe that's because I've had it in Coimbatore).

zim wrote:Hi Folks,
I wondered if anyone had eaten at Priya out in schaumburg? http://www.priya-restaurant.com

Like you, Ive neer tried it - only seen the menu. Id suggest you try it anyway, though It was quite strongly recommended to me last summer by a guy from south India, who lived nearby and claimed it was his his favourite Indian restaurant in town. Never did make it there myself.. rec'd it to a couple of people (this was a year ago).. they tried the weekday lunch-buffet offered at the time (dont know if it is anymore), and didnt think anything especially great about it, no particularly "Andhra-an" items on the menu for that. Off-the-menu would be different, however, as would the weekend-end buffet.. Id suspect its at least as good or better a bet than most of the other Indian restaurants in the area.

(Besides, *someone* has to be the guinea-pig for this place.. .and, just for discovering Chicken Boti at Khan's, I vote for zim

c8w

kuhdo wrote:I really like this place. The Chettinad dishes are very good, as are most other things I've had there. They also do a nice job with Indo-Chinese. Lunch buffet on weekends is a good bet. Haven't had the fish fry (only available weekends I think) but I've been eyeing it as well. Along with Dakshin (now serving non-veg dishes!) , Milan Chat and the nearby Vishnu foods, one of my favorites in the area.

Hey Kuhdo - how does Milan's samosa chat compare ot say Sukhadia's (which has been my favorite on devon - primarily for the tastiness of the channa)

what non-veg does dakshin serve?

zim wrote:

kuhdo wrote:I really like this place. The Chettinad dishes are very good, as are most other things I've had there. They also do a nice job with Indo-Chinese. Lunch buffet on weekends is a good bet. Haven't had the fish fry (only available weekends I think) but I've been eyeing it as well. Along with Dakshin (now serving non-veg dishes!) , Milan Chat and the nearby Vishnu foods, one of my favorites in the area.

Hey Kuhdo - how does Milan's samosa chat compare ot say Sukhadia's (which has been my favorite on devon - primarily for the tastiness of the channa)

what non-veg does dakshin serve?

Hey Zim!

I agree about Sukhadia but find Milan's samosa chat even better. If you want, it's easy to compare as the suburban Sukhadia is right across the street (and next to Bamboo Garden by the way). Milan also does a completely fantastic Dahi Poori (though it could be a little hotter). I've become semi addicted to it and have decided that it's the only single dish with an almost perfect combination of all possible tastes and textures (sweet, sour,hot salty,bitter,soft and crunchy) in every bite!

Dakshin is also great. The non-veg menu was added last fall and is fairly extensive. I haven't had all of it (I'm usually going with vegetarians), but the chicken 65 .chicken korma, Chettinad chicken and especially the Biryianis have all been excellent. The mutton Biryani is done in a style different from what I've had elsewhere, with the mutton cut into smaller pieces, almost like a super elegant fried rice.I really like it. The staff assures me all dishes veg and non-veg are done in a south indian style. My office is nearby... if you decide to visit, let me know if you want company.

c8w wrote: they tried the weekday lunch-buffet offered at the time (dont know if it is anymore), and didnt think anything especially great about it, no particularly "Andhra-an" items on the menu for that. Off-the-menu would be different, however, as would the weekend-end buffet.. Id suspect its at least as good or better a bet than most of the other Indian restaurants in the area.

yep, the weekday lunch buffet IMO opinion is probably the option in almost all indian restaurants least likely to inspire, or at least most likely to be like every other weekday lunch buffet - I've now taken to giving very specific recommendations to folks for indian places (well at least to folks whose tastes I'm not SURE to trust) and even adding disclaimers about my lack of responsibility if they don't follow the ordering strategy i've outlined.

kuhdo wrote:I agree about Sukhadia but find Milan's samosa chat even better. If you want, it's easy to compare as the suburban Sukhadia is right across the street (and next to Bamboo Garden by the way). Milan also does a completely fantastic Dahi Poori (though it could be a little hotter). I've become semi addicted to it and have decided that it's the only single dish with an almost perfect combination of all possible tastes and textures (sweet, sour,hot salty,bitter,soft and crunchy) in every bite!

Dakshin is also great. The non-veg menu was added last fall and is fairly extensive. I haven't had all of it (I'm usually going with vegetarians), but the chicken 65 .chicken korma, Chettinad chicken and especially the Biryianis have all been excellent. The mutton Biryani is done in a style different from what I've had elsewhere, with the mutton cut into smaller pieces, almost like a super elegant fried rice.I really like it. The staff assures me all dishes veg and non-veg are done in a south indian style. My office is nearby... if you decide to visit, let me know if you want company.

given this info, it looks like I might have to resist a little less when it is *cough* suggested I accompany my wife out to Ikea, though kids play soccer in the area and there may be more opportunity to look into these. Kuhdo I'd love to meet up to sample some of this stuff, but If I'm out there its usually over the weekend some time.

zim wrote:

kuhdo wrote:Along with Dakshin (now serving non-veg dishes!) , Milan Chat and the nearby Vishnu foods, one of my favorites in the area.

Hey Kuhdo - how does Milan's samosa chat compare ot say Sukhadia's (which has been my favorite on devon - primarily for the tastiness of the channa)

To add a slightly different data-point to Kuhdo.. Ive never actually had the Samosa-chaat at Milan, but Ive tried their samosas at least twice last year when in the area. Both times it was quite excellent - freshly fried and hot (and nobody can really screw up a freshly-fried-and-hot samosa). I figured I had gotten lucky both times, to arrive (on an admittedly busy weekend day) to find samosas fresh out of the grease..but maybe it wasnt just luck after all

There are very good Indian options in those areas now in general.. there is a *huge* migration of Indians in general to the NW burbs, huge growth in the Indian-diaspora in Schaumburg, Hoffman Estates, Palatine etc (especially IT-driven, more Indian than Pakistani, more southern than northern..a fair bit from Tamil Nadu, Andhra etc). Glendale Heights OTOH, from what Ive heard, is where many Hyderabadi-Muslims seem to have moved.. Ive heard rumours of some pretty good Hyderabadi food options there, though I havent really explored the area. Devon, by contrast, has been on the decline business-wise for the past few years... I wouldnt be surprised to find Milan getting a lot of pretty regular business on weekends in general (conveniently located, snacky items, easy parking in the stripmall etc), so "fresh samosas" may actually be an almost regular feature there!

c8w

Gentleman:

I agree completely about the general quality and variety of Indian restaurants in the NW burbs. Lots of good choices especially in Schaumburg (though Pakastani options are limited with Paradise and Salt-n-Pepper the main choices). Anyway, still lots of interesting stuff. I work lots of weekends so I may well be around, If anyone wants to try some of these spots (or the weekend buffet at Priya). I think the quality of the food and of the restaurants themselves is good enough and different enought from what's available on Devon to make the trip worthwhile.

Had the buffet at Priya in Schuamberg on Sunday. A friend's Groupon got me there (not exactly on my route anywhere), but I was delighted to see a lot of southern Indian dishes that I don't normally see other places. Dosa instead of naan being passed with the buffet. A few regular favorites (paneer in butter sauce, mutton/goat curry), but a fair number of things I haven't encountered on buffets in this area, and a few items I've only seen in southern India. (And some things I've never seen anywhere, not that there is any likelihood I'll ever see everything India has to offer. But if you see something identified only as "beans," which on closer inspection is clearly chopped up green beans, try it. It was amazing.)

Talked to the person who appeared to be in charge, and he's from Hyderabad, which explains the southern focus. I suspect the fact that there weren't a lot of non-Indian diners is simply because it's not "the usual stuff" -- tandoori chicken, naan.

So a fun, new destination to add to the list. I'll be taking my Kerala cookbook next time, to see what I might be able to identify.

Forgot to mention -- another interesting aspect of Priya is the offering of Chinese-Indian, specifically Hakka and Manchurian. I see both all the time at Indian grocery stores, but this is the first time I've seen them on a buffet. (Dishes were Hakka noodles and Manchurian chicken.)