From: sg@monsoon.com (Sunil Gupta)
Newsgroups: dc.dining
Subject: Re: Indian food (was Re: Need place to go)
Date: Fri, 09 Oct 92 14:39:26 EDT
Organization: Monsoon Software, Inc.

nrlfs1.nrl.navy.mil (Judy Karpen) writes:

> not Silver Spring.  Also, he was looking for a place to bring a first date, a
> let's face it, the Silver Spring Siddhartha has all the ambience of a high 
> school cafeteria. At least it's alot cleaner than their downtown location... 

Point well taken. I have not followed this thread from the start.

> not that that's a good excuse for any restaurant. Interesting that you though
> their food was greasier than Siddhartha's; I know several people who refuse t

Well, as John Waters says: "There's good bad and there's bad bad".
Analagously, there's good greasy and there's bad greasy! Anyway, it's
pretty difficult to use a lot of grease in South Indian cuisine.

> How about starting a new thread --- what is(are) your favorite Indian restaur
> the area, and why?  Much to my surprise I recently found a very good place in

Well you may regret asking, but here it is:


Sunil's Eclectic Guide to Indian and Middle-Eastern Cuisine in
the Mid-Atlantic Region


Name:     Akbar
Location: Baltimore, MD
          Charles St. between Madison and Reed Sts.
Cuisine:  North Indian
Price:    $$$
Notes:    This restaurant represents a fine value. While the food here
          is not outstanding, it is always at least competent and at
          best delicious. Among others, I would recommend the Shah Jhehan
	  Biryani, Shrimp Curry, Roghan Josh, Palak Paneer, and Pindi. If
	  you like your food hot or highly spiced, just say so. Unlike some
	  other North Indian restaurants, there are a decent number of
	  vegetarian dishes. Other than the ice cream (pistachio nut and
	  mango), the desserts are atrociously bad and best avoided. Even
	  then, make sure the ice cream is fresh.


Name:     Akbar
Location: Pikesville, MD
          Reisterstown Rd.
Cuisine:  North Indian
Price:    $$$
Notes:    Offering the same menu as the Charles St. location, this
          restaurant is less successful and the food quality more
          variable. Still worth visiting if you're in the area.


Name:     Bombay Bistro
Location: Rockville, MD
Cuisine:  Indian
Price:    $$$
Notes:    One of my favorite restaurants, I find most items on the
          menu to be quite well done. Some vegetarian dishes.


Name:     Bombay Grill
Location: Baltimore, MD
	  Madison st., around the corner from Akbar
Cuisine:  North Indian
Price:    $$$$
Notes:    Specializing mainly in grilled meats. The food tends a bit
	  towards the greasy but all-in-all, a fine restaurant. Very
	  little for the vegetarian.


Name:     Food Factory
Location: Arlington, VA
Cuisine:  Afghan
Price:    $
Notes:    This cafeteria-style place has some of the best naans and meat
	  curries for a great price. Even though the proprietor claims he
	  has vegetarian dishes, I have watched him ladle fat skimmed
	  from the meat dishes into the so-called vegetarian dishes.


Name:     The Helmand
Location: Baltimore, MD
          806 N. Charles, across the street from Akbar
Cuisine:  Afghan
Price:    $$$$
Notes:    While the food here is quite good, I find it to be an
	  uncomfortable mixture of up-scale, yuppie, snotty, hauteur
	  and middle-eastern restaurant. The portions are also quite
	  small. A few items for the vegetarian.


Name:     Jai Hind
Location: Baltimore, MD
          York Rd.
Cuisine:  North Indian
Price:    $$
Notes:    A modest restaurant with so-so food. Used to be BYOB, but
	  may have received a liquor license. A few vegetarian dishes.


Name:     Marrakesh
Location: Washington DC
Cuisine:  Tunisian
Price:    $$$$$
Notes:    Offering a prix fixee menu and a belly-dance show, I have
	  found the mediocre food and the high-priced drinks not
	  worth repeating the experience. A few items for the vegetarian.


Name:     Nakeysa
Location: Georgetown
Cuisine:  Persian
Price:    $$$$
Notes:    Fine middle-eastern food in a well-decorated setting, I have
	  found the service to be a bit spotty and the seating to be
	  crowded. As with most good restaurants in Georgetown, be
	  prepared to wait even if you have a reservation. Not much
	  for the vegetarian. No alcohol is served.


Name:     Siddhartha
Location: Silver Spring
          8400 block of Georgia Ave.
Cuisine:  South Indian
Price:    $
Notes:    Some of the best iddli-sambar and masala dosa this side of
	  Tamil Nadu, this cafeteria-type restaurant represents an
	  excellent value. Great for the vegetarian.


Name:     Tandoor
Location: Baltimore, MD
          Harborplace
Cuisine:  North Indian
Price:    $$$$
Notes:    Specializing in tandoori-cooked dishes, the food here is
	  competent but not especially well done. I have found the
	  service to be largely indifferent. This place is mainly for
	  the tourist. Great view, though.



Sunil Gupta
Monsoon Software, Inc.
sg@monsoon.com