indian food

 

I admit I've been spoiled in this arena, having grown up in the Middle East (the Persian/Arabian Gulf region, called different things depending on where you live). Indian food in the Middle East is fantastic because it's well done, spiced correctly, uses fresh and quality ingrediants and does not hold back.

In the States I've found that Indian restaurants are content to lie back with serving crap food because people will go there and eat it anyway. This food is usually bland, overpriced and generally boring, leaving you with a feeling that you've been had (ever get that feeling?). Fine, whatever, you love Bombay in the Gaslamp because it has a white lady belly dancer, well go ahead and eat there but that food is far from being Indian as Eskimo pies are.

When you order vindaloo the waiter should never ask how spicy you want it. The curries are named and made depending on the different spice levels they have inherently. Vindaloo is inherently spicy. If you want a mild curry, don't order it. If you want a spicy curry, order it. Order one in London at any Indian takeout and it'll blow your socks off. Here in SD you have to practically get on your knees and beg the waiter to ask the cook to make it like they do back home, though many cooks in Indian restaurants here are from Mexico.

In any case, here's what we have in SD:

Punjabi Tandoor - This is the best Indian food I've had in San Diego. You need to get here immediately and eat whatever you can before they sell out and move to a bigger location and have non-family members making the food turn bad (not that they are, but you know if it's too good that will happen).

India Princess Crap-fest: Got takeout from this place once. Maybe it was a bad night but I'm never going back there or anywhere near it ever again in my life. Read why here.