We had our doubts when we first set eyes on Banjara. The restaurant's setting shouted greasy American diner fare long out of favor with the modern palate, but the marquee claimed Indian cuisine. As we stepped through the door we caught a reassuring whiff of aromatic tandoori, so we decided to brave the visual contradictions of Banjara. The atmosphere is offbeat enough to be enjoyable. For those who find that low prices create the best sort of ambiance, Banjara is a prime deal, particularly for lovers of South Indian food.
Portions are generous and a la carte dishes come with rice and nan.
Eighteen inches in diameter and colored like a huge fortune cookie, the dosa was folded around vegetable curry with a potato base and served with mint chutney, tamarind sauce and coconut chutney. The whole thing was as filling as a good-sized burrito. Also, the fish didn't taste as fresh as it should have. While big chunks of lamb were simmered in a brown sauce as thick as cheese, the chicken was chopped into tiny pieces like macaroni and stewed with curry and just a touch of ginger. When we visited, the folks at Banjara were still ironing out the kinks in their months-old business.