Directions:
I love Indian food. The tastes, the smells, the textures are
all uniquely appealing to me. And Indian cuisine has resisted
the mass marketing so common to the other chain restaurants we
find in Austin. It's a business of Mom and Pop stores usually,
and today's restaurant, The Indian Palace on Far West Bld is no
exception.
Jangir Dhillon, his wife Jassvir and their nephew Gurjant are
the owners and worker bees in this neat little restaurant. It
hasn't been discovered yet, so its' easy to get a table. And
it's worth a trip for either lunch or dinner.
There is, of course, as is common to Indian restaurants, a
daily buffet for lunch a dinner. If you're on a tight schedule
or
one of those immediate gratification types, this is an
excellent way to sample their varied fare. I like, when
possible, to order off the menu.
I usually start with some Vegetable Samosas, which are
basically the Indian equivalent of turnovers stuffed with green
peas and spiced potatoes. Also neat are the Vegetable Pakoras.
This dish features slices of onion, cauliflower, eggplant and
potato lightly fried in a piquant batter. Very tasty.
I also can't resist the Bhindi Masala. If you like Okra, you'll
love this dish. The flavors from the tomato sauce and the
onions are galvanizing. Great dish to wake up the palate. And
do try the lovely Saag Panner. This Indian favorite consists of
fresh creamed spinach within which lie chunks of savory, house
made cheese. Many Indian restaurants have compromised this dish
by using canned spinach. Not the Indian Palace though.
And of course, their traditional dishes made on the Tandoor
[oven] are as good as you'd expect from a place where the
family lavishes care and attention on every dish. The Tandoori
Chicken, [I prefer the brown meat] is moist and full of that
seared flavor imparted from the tandoor. For seafood fans, the
Tandoori Shrimp, aided by an excellent marinade, has an equally
interesting and compelling flavor. And I really like the
Chicken Tikka Masala, which features roasted chicken bits in a
lovely, if slightly caloric, tomato and butter sauce. The Lamb
Korma is another stellar dish. Tender morsels of lamb cooked
with onions, tomato sauce, almonds, and raisins. You want to
make sure you try this at some point. And do order some of
their Naan bread. It is the perfect complement to Indian
cuisine. Many variations of this abound: I prefer the one with
the fresh red peppers in it.
The Indian Palace, has recently acquired a beer and wine
license. A chance for you to sample some of the excellent
Indian beers that go so well with the cuisine. The address is
3616 Far West, in the first strip mall on your right as you
head north on Far West. Make it a point to give this place a
shot. You'll be glad you did.www.indianfoodaustin.com