Paradise, Lawrenceville

By now you know just how much Indian food I have access to on a regular basis (and I am sure you're jealous... at least you should be). Sadly (for the other places) we have pretty much spent all of our recent time at one particular restaurant... Paradise. Boy is that an apt name... the place has an extensive menu, really efficient service, and awesome food. The decor is nice, not impressive by any means, but the place is clean and the food is a delight, so, really, who's looking around?

As I am sure you also know by now, I absolutely adore paper masala dosai... the thin, crispy lentil crepe stuffed with an oh so delicious mixture of potato and spices. Paradise serves this up in a slightly unique way... while it's still absurdly over sized, instead of having the potato schmeared throughout (think burrito) it has it all gathered up into a ball in the middle, leaving the majority of the crepe to be torn off and dunked into the happy ball of filling. This makes me thrilled, as it means more crunchy bits of crepe and less soft bits. Their potato mixture is far more spicy than others I have had, and it leaves my mouth all a-tingle. Delish. So yum.

Matt's new favorite dish is called the malai cheese kabob, even though it is completely dairy free... weird how it's called that. What it is is chicken chunks over a veggie slaw... mostly cabbage and onion, but some bell pepper, too. The chicken is so tender... our assumption is that it's marinated in yogurt, along with spices. The cabbage and onion get sweet and soft, adding an awesome contrast of flavors. This all comes out on a steaming hot plate... I don't remember what it's called, but think fajita platter (metal... has a handle... waiter always says 'don't touch it it's crazy hot'). Anyway, it keeps the chicken warm, and continues to cook down the onions. Delightful! Drizzle it with the spicy green sauce that comes on the side (I think it's corriander) and the whole thing brightens up and gets a serious kick.

The vindaloo at Paradise also happens to be spectacular. While I typically steer clear of dishes that have heavy sauces and potatoes in them (because they get so starchy and are often done ickily), I made an exception here after seeing how well they do everything else. Good move on my part (genius... I know). The sauce is thick and flavorful, lending a decent amount of heat and a ton of spice to the chicken. The potato is cooked to perfection, not at all mushy or fall aparty, but fork tender and completely saturated with saucy goodness. Suggestion... eat all of the big bits out of the dish and then use the extra sauce left at the bottom of the bowl to mix with white rice. It's like an Indian risotto. You can send all thank you notes to me via comment. While not pictured in this blog, perhaps what Paradise is BEST known for is their biryani, a rice dish that has meats and some veggies and some SERIOUS heat. Paradise has won several awards for this dish of theirs, and I can see why. We ordered a chicken biryani and out came a giant bowl, holding an almost obscene amount of rice, two chicken legs, a hard boiled egg, half of an onion and some lime wedges. The sauce that the rice and chicken are cooked in is HOT (we never order 'hot' in Indian restaurants... their 'medium' practically made me weep, so from now on, on this dish at least, its mild or bust! The flavor is outrageous.. a little citrusy, a little earthy, so much spice, it's like a food dance. This is really special.

Paradise seems to have several locations, although it is by no means 'chainy'. I do not know how the menu's vary from location to location, but I bet that they can't be too far off from one another. Check out the website for one closest to you... let me know what you think!

Paradise

www.njbiryani.com

3800 Quakerbridge Rd

Lawrenceville-08648

609 586 9119

Bombay Gardens, East Brunswick

Despite popular belief, I didn't just wake up one morning loving Indian food. I was exposed to an Indian restaurant in my home town at a young age, and it is still the best I've ever been to, hands down. While not much to look at appearance wise, I can assure you that you will feel welcomed and cared for the moment you walk in. Bombay Gardens offers a large variety of both North and South Indian fare, with over 160 dishes. This where I got my 'sea legs', and, years later, where I first introduced Matt to the cuisine.

While it's not meant to be an appetizer, I have somehow fallen into the habit of ordering the paper masala dosai as one. Obviously not to eat by myself... that would be downright insane. They dosai is easily the length of the table, and stuffed with potato, onion, peas, herbs and spices. While it typically comes with just two condiments (a brown veggie gravy and an almost sweet coconut chutney) I also always ask for the 'green and red'... the corriander (I think) chutney and the onions. The dosais outside crepe is super thin and extra crispy... think massive potato chip. Now stuff that giant potato chip with some delicious mashed up potato (not creamy, not too chunky... perfect compromise of each), soft onions and sweet peas and you have a dosai. In my eyes it's the perfect food. I honestly cannot think of a time when I have been to Bombay Gardens for dinner and NOT ordered it..... it has to be years now. It's a little spicy (especially with the addition of the sauces), downright crunchy, warm, and tasty.

On this particular visit we ordered the chicken makhni and the lamb rogan josh. The chicken was perfect... the sauce was a thick, gorgeous red and the meat itself fell apart on our forks. There was a very distinct, creamy tomato flavor that held some serious heat (not enough to keep me from eating it, but enough to announce it's presence). I sopped up a ton of this sauce with delicious bread, while Matt chose to stir it into his rice.... it's that good.... even when the chicken is gone you need to find a way to continue eating the amazing gravy thats left in the bowl. Too good. The same went for the lamb rogan josh.... the sauce was the shining star that accompanied the expertly cooked meat. There is nothing worse than over cooked lamb... it gets chewy and stringy and just bad. Luckily, this is not even remotely an issue at Bombay. Their lamb is so soft that you don't need a knife to cut it... just apply the slightest pressure from your fork. The lamb has been marinated in a yogurt sauce, and its juuuicy. The different spices in the sauce (cardamom, cloves, cumin plus several more) give it a distinctly authentic taste. The sauce is so thick it's almost like a stew, but it's in no way heavy, and it still somehow allows the flavor of the meat to shine through. I am addicted to these dishes. More please!

While I have been coming here for years (in fact, in high school, ieatdc's husband J and I had a standing monthly date here) please do not mistake my praise for nostalgia.... it has nothing to do with it. The food is just THAT good. Dad likes to say that it still surprises him how this restaurant can actually get better and better as time goes on, and he's right. The service is amazing and friendly and every dish is superb (from the samosas to the lassi, you need to try it all). We've recently discovered the mutton pepper fry (a mutton dish where the super thick onion based sauce is topped with thinly sliced, super hot peppers).. it's not to be missed. If you love Indian food I assure you that you will thank me when you try Bombay Gardens.

Bombay Gardens

http://www.bombaygardens.com/

1020 Route 18 N

East Brunswick- 08816

732 613 9001

Harini, Lawrenceville

While we know by now that there is no shortage of Indian food in our area, Harini is by far the closest place to our apartment. For us it is the perfect place to go when we get one of those random Tuesday night cravings for curry (you know those cravings... don't act like you don't). It's a small place, stuffed between two huge chain restaurants (they rhyme with Shmolive Harden and Wheeburger-Wheeburger... any guesses?), so it is often over looked in favor for the well known... which is fine with us, cuz that means faster service and no waiting for a table! Ha! We win!

This particular visit we started off our meal with the chicken 65. The bright red, boneless chunks came out to us and we were immediately drawn in by the smell. These were perfect... crispy on the outside, but crazy tender within. Little flecks of toasted garlic were sprinkled on top, adding a little crunch and some nutty flavor. This was not as spicy as chicken 65 that we have had elsewhere, which didn't really bother us, since it was an appetizer.

For dinner we ordered a lamb curry that was really good. Not like any curry I have ever had before. The texture was odd.... somehow thicker... the consistancy was a bit like that of butternut squash soup; a little thick, a little mealy, but certainly not unpleasant. The meat was super tender, no knife needed. The sauce tasted of tomato and onion and a ton of spices. It warmed up my tummy but didn't set my mouth ablaze, and for that I was thankful. Don't get me wrong. I LOVE spicy food, and even crave it at times, but I really enjoyed being able to taste every element of this dish without overwhelming heat, especially since it was my first time trying it.

Our other dish was an onion and chilli dosai, which is basically a super crispy, super thin crepe stuffed with potato, onion and chille along with a ton of other spices. While we knew that these are usually very large (we have had them many times before) this one was HUGE. Look at the butter knife in the picture below for a point of reference.... INSANE. The crepe itself was super crispy and soooo delicious. The filling was glorious for the most part.... mashed up potato mixed with onion always has a spot on my plate. The problem was the chilles. We knew to expect some heat, but the hot green chilles were ROUGHLY chopped, so every once in a while we would get a bite that literally stopped us in our tracks. A thumbail size chunk of spicy Indian chilli is enough to give you the head sweats right on the spot. This was delicious, but next time we may go for a chilli free dosai and just ask for the spice tray to add our own heat!

The place isn't at all fancy, colorful, or distinguished, but the food is damned good. The service is always friendly, the food fresh, and the flavors new and interesting. The menu is pretty extensive, with a nice mixture of North and South Indian dishes, and I think that there is something for everyone to enjoy. Just beware the chilli dosai!

Harini

http://www.harinirestaurant.com/

3349 Brunswick Pike #66

Lawrenceville- 08648

609 750 0488

Ganges, Princeton Junction

I seriously think that anyone who loves Indian food as much as I do should live in this area. It is oh so abundant, and so far all of it has been pretty good! This rule certainly applies to Ganges in Princeton Junction. It is close to home and has just what we were craving... authentic Indian food. It's a liiiittle tricky to find, as it's tucked into a strip mall on an awkward corner. Once you find it and walk inside I'm pretty sure you'll be impressed with what they've done with the place. It's charming and well decorated, with a warm and inviting feel.

We started off with the vegetable samosas and they were lovely. The perfect crunch on the outside is what really makes a samosa stand out to me. The filling of peas and potato was perfectly seasoned... a little heat and a LOT of flavor. The accompanying chutneys (one sweet (and I believe plum based) and one hot) were perfect... they added just the right depth to the samosas (and everything else I ended up smearing them on!) For our bread we chose an aloo (potato) Paratha. This is pretty much always going to be delicious.... creamy potato shmeared between flat bread? What could be bad!

For dinner we ordered one chicken dish and one lamb dish. For our poultry we went with chicken Tikka Masala (which is one of our favorites). The color on this was unlike anything I have ever seen. It was BRIGHT red. It looked almost fake.... I was convinced that the coloring had to be artificial. Whil ethe sauce was really tasty, and the chicken well seasoned (although a litle dry) I couldn't get over the color of the sauce. It weirded me out. That color red is not one that I have ever seen in nature, so I cannot even tell you how it came to be in the dish. There was a drizzle of yogurt over the top of the dish, so it lightened up a little by the time this picture was taken, so if this doesn't seem 'all that red' it's because it isn't. Long story short, though, it was tasty. Darned tasty.

We ordered the lamb Boti Kabob Kandhari and, unfortunately, we could have done without it. While seasoned exceptionally (and with a perfect citrus kick from some added lemon) the meat was super dry. So dry, in fact, that it was hard to eat. The spice was perfect, the onions burnt to a caramelized crisp (just the way I looooove them!), the portion size ideal, and yet we left food behind. Such a shame. This could have been my all time favey, but instead it was chewy and sad. Wah.

I will definitely go back to Ganges, despite the tough lamb. Everything TASTED fine, and the service was awesome, so they certainly deserve another shot. If I am once again served icky, over cooked meat, though, I am going to be so mad.

Ganges Authentic Indian Cuisine

http://www.gangesonline.com/

33 Princeton- Hightstown Road

Princeton Junction, NJ 08550

609 750 1550

Palace of Asia, Lawrenceville

Mom and Dad came to visit our new place for the first time, and we decided to go exploring in the neighborhood. After a little research we decided on Palace of Asia, an Indian restaurant that was pretty close by, and, to Dad's delight, had a full bar. (We have always wondered why more ethnic restaurants don't have them.... spicy food calls for full bodied red wines!)

The place is not only HUGE but also gorgeous.... I'm not talking like 'hey what a nice looking place' but more like I immediately regretted not having my bat mitzvah there. Yeah... that pretty. Warm, inviting colors, large statues, and big hanging light fixtures made me feel like I was walking into an Indian palace. I could not WAIT to sit down and order!

After ordering our beverages-glass of house red for me, two different Indian beers (Taj Mahal and Kingfisher) for Matt and Dad, and a vodka cocktail for Mom- we took a look at the menu. Strangest thing, folks... this Indian restaurant has BEEF on the menu!!! Yeah, I know... Weeeeeiiiirdd.... it would be like walking into a kosher deli and getting a ham sandwich. We didn't order any beef dishes, but we all thought it was worth mentioning. But I digress... we picked the Tandoori mixed grill for an appetizer, and everything on it was delicious. It had Tandoori Chicken, lamb Boti Kabob, Chicken Tika, Tandoori shrimp, and Seekk Kabob, so there was plenty to go around (actually it was enough for a party twice our size). All of the chicken was so tender that none of us used knives to cut it, and the flavors on each of the meats were perfect... not too spicy, not too mild. It was very well balanced, especially after we threw a splash of lemon over the meats... YUM! Gotta love that acidity!

For dinner we ordered a few dishes and all shared (the best way to enjoy as many options as possible, in my opinion). We got the chicken Achari, Daal Makhni, and lamb Saagwala as well some bread (a traditional Naan and a garlic Naan). The chicken was good. It was described as chicken cooked with onions, tomatoes, garlic and chili peppers, flavored with pickled spices. It sounds like a lot going on but all of the elements worked well together... if anything I wish they would have used more pickled spices and chilis! The chicken was tender, and the sauce was perfect for scooping up with the hot delicious bread... the dish worked, and I am glad we got it.

The Daal Makhni was decent but after having this none will ever be able to compare. It was still delicious, and we all enjoyed it... I have just been spoiled when it comes to Daal Makhni...the bar has been set extraordinarily high. The lamb Saagwala was also good... creamy and rich, the spinach lent a great freshness to it. Visually it was less than appealing... a very weird brownish green, and it's texture was a little too 'squishy' for Matt, but again it was a tasty dish. I happen to love spinach, no matter the application, so this was actually my favorite part of the meal. The lamb was super tender and fell apart with just a bit of pressure from my fork... no knife needed.

All in all the food was very good, but a bit pricey considering all of the options in the area. The convenience of the bar is a plus, but it does pad the bill quite a bit. The service was super friendly, and the place is GORGEOUS, so it's definetley worth at least one visit. Not sure it will become a staple in our rotation, but it was a lovely night out!

Palace of Asia
http://www.palace-of-asia.com/
540 Lawrence Square Blvd South
Lawrenceville, NJ 08648
(609) 689 1500

Paratha Junction, Franklin Park

There is no shortage of Indian food in Franklin Park, but I think I've found my favorite. Paratha Junction has amazingly fresh food, an extraordinarily friendly staff and is down right cheap. Not reasonable, not cost efficient... we're talking CHEAP. And it's good! REALLY good!

My Dad took me there recently for lunch and I have been back three times since. Their specialty is their namesake, the paratha. I like to think of it as an Indian quesadilla, because of its shape and style, but they're really stuffed breads. This is typically a vegetarian dish but Paratha Junction has several non-vegetarian versions. You can also choose the flour that you want them to be made with (whole wheat, refined white, or chick pea) at no extra charge!

On my first visit there my Dad and I ordered the Lamb Keema Paratha and the Gobi (cauliflower) Paratha. After some prompting from the waiter, who assured us that we should order something for dipping, we threw in the Daal Makhni. Oh. My. God. SO good! The parathas were perfect; crispy and warm! The lamb paratha was AWESOME. The crumbled bits of lamb had a tiny bit of heat and were so deliciously seasoned it took me a while to even remember to dunk it in the Daal. I have had Mahkni dishes before and they work amazingly with meats, but I had never even heard of a Daal Makhni. What an amazing idea! There were lentils and kidney beans in a well seasoned tomato base. It was thick and tasty, perfect for dipping. There was definitely some kind of fresh herb, I'm thinking perhaps Cilantro, possibly mint. I mixed some raw onions into the whole shebang and WOW... flavor explosion! The cauliflower paratha was equally fantastic. The cauliflower was minced into such tiny pieces it was almost paste like... the filling literally melted in my mouth. Another perfect compliment to the Daal Makhni, every bite was loaded with flavor and just outstanding.

The meal discussed in this post cost .... get this... 11 bucks. Dad and I were both STUFFED and couldn't have fit another bite in to save our souls. I am telling you, this place is the best deal in town. On my more recent visits I have had a spinach stuffed paratha and some mango chutney for dipping (both out of this world!), but everytime I go I order the Daal Makhni... it's THAT good. The staff there is attentive and charming, and cannot fill water glasses fast enough. Oh, best part?? It's just as cheap for supper (the same menu is provided for lunch and dinner) so there are no excuses! Check it out and let me know what you think!

Paratha Junction

http://www.parathajunction.com/

3201 Route 27,

Franklin Park, NJ 08823

Phone: 732.940.1005