NRaleeRalee wrote:If you want good Gujarti food, go to Rasoi in Melrose Park. The majority of their business is catering so they don't have much of a sit down area. I recommend getting it to go. The food is always spiced perfectly and well priced. I pick it up when I'm missing my mom's home cooking.

Anyone know what's happening at Rasoi? It was closed Tue afternoon even though the hours on the door indicated they should be open.



Rasoi
2321 N Mannheim Rd
Melrose Park IL
847-455-8888

The GF and I have a new favorite Indian restaurant! We have been frequenters of Hema's Kitchen, but now we are in love with Indian Grill on N. Clark St.

We went there for the first time tonight, and we tried some "standards" that we feel should shine if the restaurant knows what it's doing. We ordered samosas to start, and they were very well-cooked with the dough light, crunchy and flaky and the filling a creamy potato mash with green peas and spices.

The main dishes we ordered were excellently cooked: chicken tikka tandoori (they have a clay oven), madrasi lamb, chana masala and a side of raita (of course!). The tandoori comes with naan - and this is the best naan we have had, obviously freshly baked in the clay oven).


Chicken Tikka Tandoori


Clockwise from left: Raita, Chana Masala (chickpeas in savory sauce), Madrasi Lamb (spicy!)

The quality of the food is very high, the chicken and lamb tender and flavorful. I could eat the naan plain it was so good...although it was great with the raita, or with the table condiment sauces (including a rich tamarind sauce).

We were very full with enough leftovers to treat ourselves to lunch tomorrow. So we skipped dessert.

Next time we will go for the $9.95 weekend lunch buffet...and bring our fat pants.

Indian Grill
2258 N Clark St
773-477-8000
http://indiangrillrestaurants.com/ (the menu on the website is not quite current, but pretty close)

Finally got around to trying Pakwaan today. There is no longer a buffet at lunch. They do offer lunch and dinner thali; I tried the lunch thali [which is priced at $6], thinking it would be a good substitute for a buffet treat.

Totally, completely meh. Sub-meh. Now that my curiosity has been satisfied, I never have to go there again.

I was offered a choice between a vegetarian thali and a meat thali. The meat thali I took had a leg and thigh of dry, reheated tandoori chicken, half a naan, very dry rice, spiced lentils [soup or stew] that I poured over the rice, a small chicken leg in a tomato sauce, a potato-pea samosa, and some cauliflower-potato curry. None of the items, except for the naan, was more than warm in temperature. The tandoori chicken was very, very dry and old. The flavor and spicing on the lentils & curry weren't bad. The place wasn't busy, but at a bare minimum shouldn't the rice and vegetable dishes have been microwaved past luke-warm?

But the portions were a good size.

Giovanna

Giovanna wrote:Finally got around to trying Pakwaan today. There is no longer a buffet at lunch. They do offer lunch and dinner thali; I tried the lunch thali [which is priced at $6], thinking it would be a good substitute for a buffet treat.

Totally, completely meh. Sub-meh. Now that my curiosity has been satisfied, I never have to go there again.
Giovanna

Heh. I went to Pakwaan a couple times after my initial foray (reported on earlier in the thread), and I concur - meh is mot juste

My complaints have been of blandness - serious lack of heat. Probably has to do with their target audience I guess.

A far better option for this style of food is probably one located less than 5 minutes away (but not as prominently located, ie not on Golf Road)... Tandoori Restaurant (9344 West Ballard Road, Des Plaines). Much better all around, for Pakistani-style food.

c8w

We dined at TAVA Saturday evening. It was our first time there and our 7-year-old’s first experience with Indian food.

My daughter (Audrey) is spice adverse right now although we are gradually introducing some heat. I had to mentally prepare myself for mild Indian food as I LOVE spicy Indian food. I found it a good opportunity to appreciate some of the creamy, rich flavors of the cuisine.

We started with the samosas and pakoras. Very nice versions of both.

The three of us shared basmati rice, naan, Gost Pasanda, and Madras Shrimp. We were all Naan-fighting for the Gost Sauce - so delicious. Audrey loved her first Mango Lassi.

It’s a strip mall, but inside felt very cozy with a fireplace and the right choices in lighting. They have a full bar. Service was warm and efficient.

TAVA - Fresh Taste of India
7172 Dempster St
Morton Grove