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INDIAN AMERICAN MASALA Samosa King, the catering business that bloomed into one hip little restaurant—which unfortunately, despite the brightly colored paint job, can’t be seen from Woodward—is the home of American Masala. They serve only halal meat, even in the buffet—which also features samosas, something you never see in buffets. BOMBAY GRILLE Years back it was Carlos & Shalimar’s, a combo of both Mexican and Indian and both genuinely mediocre, then it became a branch of Ann Arbor’s Shalimar—a huge improvement. Finally, this spot has hit its stride. Serving Northern, Southern and even a smattering of Indochinese, it is a better-than-average curry shop and offers a little linen and ambience to go with your masala. Watch them making naan and those wonderful breads in the glass-enclosed bakery—ok, you can stop; it’s not that exciting. GHANDI RESTAURANT Conant isn’t just for pierogi anymore. A growing Bangladeshi populace in the former Polish enclave has caused a number of Indian-style restaurants to pop up in the area like mushrooms after a rain. Ghandi is among the most consistent. Bow-tie-clad waiters hustle about, spreading forth striking combinations like chicken and banana and fish masala alongside traditional dishes like mulligatawny soup, housemade saag ponir cheese and salty shrimp poori. Prices are fair at dinner, but dazzlingly inexpensive at lunch, where six bucks gets you a pretty passable buffet. All this, and white tablecloths too. MAYUR INDIAN CUISINE If you’re a vegan, the sleeper here is Mysore masala dosa, a light crepe smeared with aggressive garlic chutney and stuffed with vegetables and potatoes. If flesh is your fancy, try the boti kabob, which is slow cooked, beyond-succulent lamb, and is certified halal (or allowable under Muslim law). Mayur prides itself on being woman-owned and the impeccable quality of its ingredients, proudly touting that the tandoori (which is used to cook the boti kabob) is American-made, which evidentially speaks to its high-tech performance. THE PEACOCK Pricing is not as rock-bottom as strip mall aficionados have come to expect in Indian restaurants, but the quality of Peacock’s food is irreproachable and worth every rupee. The Mona Lisa trademark is a bit unsettling (even with the red bindi dot on her forehead) especially in light of the fact that the Peacock was one of metro Detroit’s first wholly authentic Indian restaurants. Specializing in tandoori (clay-oven broiled dishes), they are equally adept at curries and exotic vegetarian dishes. PRIYA INDIAN CUISINE With cathedral ceilings and an actual bar, Priya is the most gigantic Indian restaurant in Michigan or anywhere else we have ever seen. Which is good, because Priya is the area favorite, one of the most trusted names in area-Indian dining. The secret is the food—addictive, memorable, perfection. There are so many standout dishes—from the dreamy dosasor rich and creamy butter chicken to the perfectly moist tandoori-grilled items—that you can’t go into details. You’ll find better food on their daily lunch buffet than what you get when you special order at other restaurants. Like any place, it is the chef, not the entrées, that make the meal. So tip back a mango daiquiri (love that liquor license) and give a nod to the hard-working staff in the kitchen, who make the food here so special. PRIYA INDIAN CUISINE The original has the same name and virtually the same menu as the Farmington Hills Priya, just different owners and smaller location. RANGOLI INDIAN CUISINE A prodigious menu, but one which is surfable, since all dishes are described in detail. Airy dosa, a featherweight pancake made from lentil flour, is a perfect prelude to such inventive dishes as nargisi aloo (essentially, a hollow potato filled with nuts, veggies and lightly perfumed farmer’s cheese), an incendiary chicken with peppers and coconut milk so hot that it actually messes with global warming, or a sampler thali platter, which comes vegetarian or not, depending on your mood and ethics. The room is beautifully decorated with the namesake “rangoli,” India’s colorful, kaleidoscopic folk art. SHALIMAR Ann Arbor favorite for college-budget, candlelit ethnic blowout, featuring a cheap midday buffet. The tandoori dishes, the channa amristari and chili pakoraare particular winners. UDIPI To say the food is so good a carnivore would not miss the meat is so cliché when describing a vegetarian restaurant, but so true when it comes to Udipi. Because much of the food is both so foreign and so hearty, you’ll swear it had to have some kind of protein from something that once breathed air. But everything on the wide-ranging menu and elaborate buffet is clean-conscious cuisine—and even if you frequently eat Indian you’ll have to ask the server what wondrous ingredient Owner/Chef Thilgam put in the dish you just fell in love with. To say Udipi is the best vegan Indian is easy—some might argue it is the best vegetarian in the area. © 2008 Guide to Detroit, LLC |