We have a new favorite Indian restaurant in the area! Stepping in from the frigid night, we felt like we had been transported into some exotic place. Curry smells wafting in the warm air, and the ambience of the restaurant had our expectations piqued. The dining area is tastefully decorated, with the tables in the middle under large tent-like curtains creating an interesting effect. And we had only traveled to Punjab in Arlington for all this!
Our seats were in the back area, close to the open kitchen. It was a good night to be sitting in close proximity to the tandoor oven! We started with an order of vegetable pakoras. These crispy fried treats were beautifully plated with a coriander-based chutney alongside in a small crescent shaped vessel. More importantly, the tangy taste was a good start to the meal. Despite being fried, they weren’t too heavy, leaving room for the good stuff to follow.
There were a lot of interesting, unfamiliar items on the menu we wanted to try. So our ordering strategy was to order one old standby and two dishes new to us. I need to apologize to Malika for the standby, chicken tikka masala, which she explains on Quick Indian Cooking is not authentic Indian food. It may not be the real deal, nonetheless, I love the tangy, spicy tomato cream sauce on the chicken. Punjab does it very well—despite ordering it spicy, I could still taste the distinct flavor of the tandoor roasted chicken as well as the spice.
Despite the name Punjab which suggests northern Indian food, there was also a section of Southern Indian food, something we don’t have as much. So we tried the paneer dosa and weren’t disappointed. Out came a foot-long very thin crepe-like pancake, wrapped around a tasty combination of paneer and spices. This dish was served with a cocoanut chutney and topped with a soupy concoction of spiced lentils. (note: though this topping it is soupy, it is not to be eaten like soup as we learned the hard way one time—way too salty to eat on its own!) A very interesting and tasty treat.
We also had the yellow dal tadka, a savory dish of yellow lentils long simmered in aromatic spices. This was very warming on the cold night.
As I’ve noted in my pairing Indian food and wine post, it’s got to be white wine in my book with Indian. So we ordered the Rudi Wiest Riesling from Mosel river region. Nothing fancy, but a nice match for the spicy food—just enough hint of sweetness to refresh the palate and have some more curry!
We’ll be going back to Punjab for sure!
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Comments: 13
I think Punjab is one of the best Indian restaurants in Boston. The chicken tikka masala is a must order, as is the garlic naan. However, I miss the cozy atmosphere and service of its smaller former location down the street. Maybe they are still working out the kinks at the new larger location, but the last two times I have been there, the lack of service at the host stand was frustrating. We ended up leaving, but we still order take out because the food is "that good." I look forward to more of your Boston reviews.
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Jennifer is the Associate Editor of Gather.
It's nice that you had a good experience at Punjab. Remember it because it may not happen again.
I have been going to Punjab for a few years now, and as far as I am concerned, this was among the best indian food in Boston. However, since they move to the new "bigger" location, their service has become horrible. Their new environment has become very cahotic and because of that, you can tell that the staff is constatly on a fire drill, and incidently, customer satisfaction is no longer a priority.
For me, the experience I get in going to a restaurant is as important as the quality of the food. Since the "experience" is no longer there, it is not as attractive to go there anymore.
A good indian place I recommand is the Kabab Factory (http://www.restaurantrow.com/moreinfo.cfm?code=846938&returnto=go) on Washington St., in Cambridge. It's small, but they have great food, and an nice atmosphere. And if you want the REAL taste of punjab, then you must go to Punjabi Dhaba (http://boston.citysearch.com/profile/4747709) in Inmann Sq. in Cambridge. It's a real Dabba!
On the Indian tastings note, I must give a big shout out for Bhindi Bizarre on Mass Ave in Boston - across from Newbury St (Urban Outfitters corner). The ambiance is simple, but in a comfortable stylish way. The food is actually much the same way. I've always enjoyed starting with their Samosa Chaat. It's an interesting take on the traditional Samosa starter. The Samosa is served in a bowl smothered in yogurt, chickpeas, and tamarind sauce. It is this delightful combination of flavors, textures, and temperatures. The pairing with white wine is right on (great observation - David), but I also enjoy either a Flying Horse or Taj Mahal.
For entrees Bhindi does a fine job with traditional curries - rogan josh, vindaloo, etc. But I find dishes like their chicken caffreal to be of a higher standard. Perhaps it's due to it's uniqueness, but the large chunks of all white meat chicken succulently prepared with a delicate yet creeping spice of green chilies off set with the freshness of lemon and cilantro. This dish delightfully off sets the more traditional red and brown sauced curries.
I must also praise their use of real garlic in their garlic Naan. Lately I've found too many restaurants relying too much on the liberal shake of garlic powder. Well good eats to us all....and to all good eats!!!