India Gate 1565 S. Virginia St., 337-8002 The phrase a “tough act to follow” usually refers to something so impressive you’d be hard-pressed to top it. In by Todd South the case of a restaurant location previously occupied by similar ventures, the phrase might refer to besting an inherited reputation. Since opening for business just over a month ago, the owners and staff at India Gate have been working hard to extinguish pre-existing notions about this edge-of-Midtown location, formerly India Garden. Photo/AlliSon Young
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Working on my tandoori
Owner Dilbar Ballli next to the buffet at India Gate.
For more information, visit www.indiagate reno.com.
20 | RN&R |
DECEMBER 26, 2013
At 7 on a Sunday evening, my wife and I were warmly greeted and seated without delay, being the only diners present. A couple of other tables eventually were filled, though not enough to distract from the Bollywood music videos playing on constant loop. Within moments of being seated, elegantly cone-shaped papadum were served with the traditional hari chutney (green chili pepper, basil, mint, spices) and imli ki chutney (tamarind, sugar, ginger, spices). I really liked this presentation, as compared to the big flat piece of lentil cracker that is more common, and my wife found that mixing the sauces made for a good balance of sweet and spice. The front room staff was friendly and efficient, yet our food arrived more slowly from the kitchen than I’d
expect on a quiet evening. Perhaps they’re still finding their dinner footing as opposed to cranking out buffet trays. We over-ordered a bit to sample the chef’s style, and I certainly don’t mind taking leftovers for lunch. For starters, we ordered vegetable samosas ($2.95), a standard favorite, and fish pakora for something different ($4.95). The samosas were perfectly-fried pyramids of potato and pea, very light and tasty. The salmon fritters were an amazing new experience, crispy and pink, and coated in tandoori spice rub. Definitely a high point of the meal, and easily the best value out of everything ordered. The menu describes the cuisine as being north Indian, and the chicken kashmiri ($10.95) and beef korma ($13.95) certainly bore that out with plenty of spice and flavor. The lamb tikka masala ($13.95) was a bit sweet, with a strong tomato presence, but still quite tasty. My wife felt the sauces were all a bit heavy, with what she described as a “pasty” mouthfeel, but I found them to be perfectly delicious despite the thicker texture. The only real misstep of the meal was the bread, which is unfortunate as this is usually the foundation of a great Indian meal. The flavor of the garlic naan ($2.50) was fine, but the texture wasn’t remotely the fluffy, crispy goodness you might expect from a tandoor oven. It was just disappointing and floppy, as though it had been pulled straight from a freezer and then microwaved. The situation was worse with the onion kulcha ($3.00). Instead of a crisply-baked disc flavored with finely diced onion, the bread was doughy and prone to disintegration under the weight of its coursely-chopped filling. Frankly, it was more like a pile of onion lightly seasoned with a bit of thin doughy bread, and definitely the low point of the meal. Despite this, the overall dining experience was positive. The leftovers were just as tasty when reheated for lunch—the kulcha improved a bit after 10 minutes in a toaster oven—and I look forward to a second visit. The next time, though, I think we’ll do the lunch buffet ($7.99) and see if the naan is improved by being baked en masse for a crowd of hungry diners. I really hope so, because India Gate shows a lot of promise. Ω