by Todd SouTh
A full plate
PHOTO/ALLISON YOUNG
coffeehouse. This example was the first chai I’ve ever enjoyed—a very nice blend of spice, tea and dairy, with just a touch of sugar. Some time ago, a pop-up restaurant The little steel bowls on our platters named Thali served vegetarian North Indian contained a mix of potatoes, carrots, peas cuisine a few nights a week at a small cafe, and garam masala—a spice blend cousin until the cafe closed for good. In the meanof curry—a red lentil and split mung bean time, Reno Supper Club—formerly Bowl dal with texture similar to split pea soup, Restaurant—opened at the West Street a mix of turnips and onion with masala, Market with the purpose of hosting pop-up and raita, a blend of yogurt, tomato, meals with a variety of chefs. I’m glad to onion, garam masala and a little salt. Its say that Thali has taken up residence as the purpose is to clear the palate between supper club’s first tenant, and hopefully bites of the spicier dishes. A pilaf of they’ll be able to stick around for a while. basmati rice with onion, pea, cilantro and The word thali means “plate” but has cumin took center stage on the platter, come to mean a platter of small bowls and condiments of mint and mango chutfilled with a few dishes that are meant to neys and spicy pickled onion, carrot and complement each other. Thali’s take on jalapeño rounded out the flavor palette. this is to provide a new meal each weekI’m a longtime fan of Indian food, end; the menu is posted in advance on but this was the first time I felt I was social media. Organic produce from local eating true “home cooking” from the farms via the Great Basin Community subcontinent. The spices were present but Food Co-Op is used as much as possible, not overstated. The dal and each platter is and turnip dishes were all-you-can-eat with a particularly satisfyfixed price ($14.92 per ing, and the rice was 148 West St. person). among the best I’ve Thali serves fixed priced meals from Saturday Although the actual had from any Indian to Monday, 5 to 9 p.m. Learn more at restaurant space is kitchen. The flatbread thalireno.com. fairly small, additional was almost unnecesseating is available in sary, yet delicious. the common area of the market. While And since it’s AYCE, you can keep your waiting less than a minute to be seated, favorite items coming until you can’t my wife and I were transfixed watching enjoy another bite. a pair of ladies making chapati flat bread I’m typically wary of most Asian by hand in the open kitchen. The dough desserts, and the bowl of gajar halwa is a simple mix of whole wheat flour and (carrot) and suji halwa (semolina) did water, patted into thin rounds and fried on give me pause at first. Both the shredded the grill, then brushed with a bit of ghee— carrot and durum wheat granules were clarified butter—before being folded and mixed with sugar, ghee and spices, and placed on the platter with the meal. each suffered a bit on texture to my westWe started with cups of hot, houseern palate. However, they actually began made chai ($2.80). I’ve never been a to win me over, and the sticky grain mush fan of the overly sweet “pumpkin spice” was pretty good when washed down with powdered stuff served at nearly every that terrific chai. Ω
This guy saves you money.
A thali holds a sampling of classic Northern Indian cuisine.
,WŐV %DP *RRG
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Thali
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12.01.16
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