Food, Drink & Dining Out Indian Food Appreciation Thread

[Varcoe2Chapman]

A few years ago a mate of mine moved out of home to Nunanwading, just around the corner from a gem of an Indian Restaurant called Punjabi Masala who have one of the best lunch specials going around. 2 Curries/2 Naan/Rice/2 Soft Drinks all for $20. Any curry on the menu too. We were both hooked and Indian Food went from having twice a year to 2-3 times a month.
After a few months we started our own mini curry club and would dominate Indian Restaurants around the Eastern and Southern Suburbs of Melbourne. Our golden rule is no Bain Marie Curries (as they can be too watery).

Over the past couple of years i've uncovered some great places to enjoy a curry. Here are some recommendations.

1. Aashiana - North Balwyn - Can be a little bit pricey but curries here top shelf. They do a great serving of Pakora for their entree. The best curry i've had there would be Prawn Vindaloo. Everything you want in a vindaloo. Flaming hot sauce with the spices to mathc.

2. Palms - Mount Waverley - you walk into this joint and it looks like a cafeteria at a hospital. There are 4 different restaurants under one roof (Nth/South Indian, Chinese and Thai). Been here at least a dozen times and the food has never let me down and service is good (never waited more than 10 mins for an entree).

3. Punjabi Masala - Nunawading - my first regular curry joint and they guy knows us by our first name. Do really good Vindaloos and Kormas.

Other honorable mentions:
Satgurus - Bulleen
Chef's Tandoor - Blackburn North
Kwality - Frankston
Ganesh - Blackburn
Kake di Hatti - Brunswick.

Would like to know which curries/naan/entrees, etc. that pyou enjoy?

I love mine spicy and always order my vindaloos 'Make it for a Indian man' and that gives them the hint. I've built up quite tolerance since my early days of having 'Delhi Belly' on my mates living room floor.

 

[Phenotype]

The GD board has turned into a Food, Drinks and Mongering board.

 

[Norwegian Blue]

There was a place in Coogee that used to do a Tandoori Octopus that was just incredible. It closed down a while back and while there are many good Indians around, I'm always on the lookout for one that does that dish.

On a tangent, here's the locals in Bombay going down the English:

 

[I bleed Blue]

Indian is by far my favourite of all foods... actually equal favourite, along with Sri Lankan food. Love it. Can't get enough of it.

I like my curries very hot. One of my mates I went to high school with, his parents have an Indian restaurant, which he and his brother have now taken over. Love popping in there. They know how hot I like my curries and always make sure the Vindaloos are extra hot.

I traveled through India for 6 or 7 weeks and had some great food over there. But I would have to say Tandoori chicken would have to be my favourite. Been finding it hard in Melbourne to find somewhere that makes Tandoori chicken as authentic and as good as when you have it in India. Mehfil Indian Restaurant in Keysborough is probably one of the best I have found. Must have it with Jeera rice and Raita aswell.

Dam, this thread has made me hungry. Might have to sus some Indian out for lunch.

 

[Silent Alarm]

From the full on curry to a samosa... it's definitely up there. It's also really, really good for vegetarians, something which other cultures can kind of suck with. Funky Curry in the city is really cheap, really good, and a decent place to check in after the footy or before some beers.

 

[Gough]

The Jasmin in Adelaide on Hindmarsh Square is the best Indian restaurant I've ever eaten at. Never had a bad meal in the twenty five years that I've been going there.

 

[Jackfrost]

The Green Coriander in Ballajura is a hidden gem

 

[krisholio14]

There are several great Indian restaurants around town, the locals I go to regularly are The Bombay Club and Kantipur.

The best in the SE in my opinion is Bala Da Dhaba in Ripponlea.

And if you're in town and looking for a consistent and varied Indian feast, Flora on Flinders Street is rock solid.

 

[Rellik666]

Chef's Tandoor Surrey Hills......lunch pack Friday - $10 for curry, rice naan and can of coke......Excellent!

Love a great curry and also spent time in Southern India, a good Tali cannot be underestimated! A dosa for brekky is a must also!

Want to find a good authentic recipe though so I can make it home!

 

[Varcoe2Chapman]

Indian is by far my favourite of all foods... actually equal favourite, along with Sri Lankan food. Love it. Can't get enough of it.

I like my curries very hot. One of my mates I went to high school with, his parents have an Indian restaurant, which he and his brother have now taken over. Love popping in there. They know how hot I like my curries and always make sure the Vindaloos are extra hot.

I traveled through India for 6 or 7 weeks and had some great food over there. But I would have to say Tandoori chicken would have to be my favourite. Been finding it hard in Melbourne to find somewhere that makes Tandoori chicken as authentic and as good as when you have it in India. Mehfil Indian Restaurant in Keysborough is probably one of the best I have found. Must have it with Jeera rice and Raita aswell.

Dam, this thread has made me hungry. Might have to sus some Indian out for lunch.

"The year was 1968. We were on recon in a steaming Mekong delta. An overheated private removed his flack jacket, revealing a T-shirt with an ironed-on sporting the MAD slogan "Up with Mini-skirts!". Well, we all had a good laugh, even though I didn't quite understand it. But our momentary lapse of concentration allowed "Charlie" to get the drop on us. I spent the next three years in a POW camp, forced to subsist on a thin stew made of fish, vegetables, prawns, coconut milk, and four kinds of rice. I came close to madness trying to find it here in the States, but they just can't get the spices right" - Skinner

 

[Varcoe2Chapman]

An Indian fellow i play cricket with once brought Samosas to a trivia night. He has been a good mate since. He recommended India Gate in Belgrave as one of the finest in Melbourne. Very keen to try it out.

 

[iGNITER]

For some reason never really got into Indian food.
Had it once and was an average experience so havent really gone back.

Although not saying I wont eat it again but I would much prefer Thai or Chinese as an Asian cuisine.

 

[Barry Zuckercorn]

Yogi Da Dhaba in Lygon St, Brunswick is one of my favourites.

 

[HugeJohnson]

Yes yes yes yes yes

Had indian just last night. Definitely my favourite food. Harvest of India in Gawler and Legacy of India in Blackwood are my top 2 picks. Almost always get the Chicken Korma. So good. Just wish it wasn't so expensive.

I've also heard that the Indian food actually tastes better here than from India....

 

[Varcoe2Chapman]

There are plenty of good curry joints around where you can get a feed for under $25 a head. Never occurs with me as i always lash out on Garlic Naan - probably the greatest thing since sliced bread.

 

[Barry Zuckercorn]

Do you know how you can tell if it's a good Indian restaurant? If there's lots of Indian diners inside.

 

[Kram]

For some reason never really got into Indian food.
Had it once and was an average experience so havent really gone back.

Unlike stuff like Chinese which is usually pretty similar I reckon it's really variable in quality, can be pretty rubbish to very, very good. Just need to find somewhere that makes decent stuff.

 

[Rod Stroker]

Love Indian food. Best I've had in Melb is Bedi in South Melbourne. Pricey but worth it. Won a few awards.

 

[iGNITER]

Unlike stuff like Chinese which is usually pretty similar I reckon it's really variable in quality, can be pretty rubbish to very, very good. Just need to find somewhere that makes decent stuff.

Agree with that. Mates of mine love indian but will not even touch it from particular places.

 

[Varcoe2Chapman]

Chef's Tandoor Surrey Hills......lunch pack Friday - $10 for curry, rice naan and can of coke......Excellent!

Love a great curry and also spent time in Southern India, a good Tali cannot be underestimated! A dosa for brekky is a must also!

Want to find a good authentic recipe though so I can make it home!

Round the corner from me but never been!
Must go.

 

[Stratton_Gun]

Yeh I like Indian as well although it wouldn't be my favouite. OP I have been to Aashiana a few times as well. Very nice place with nice food. But as you said a but pricey. Also like the Mukhwas they have when you leave

 

[The Goon]

Do you know how you can tell if it's a good Indian restaurant? If there's lots of Indian diners inside.

Sick of the same "so where are you from" discussion when you have a continental cab driver? Ask them what their favourite restaurant is for authentic food. Great discussion topic and you learn where the best places are.

Unlike stuff like Chinese which is usually pretty similar I reckon it's really variable in quality, can be pretty rubbish to very, very good. Just need to find somewhere that makes decent stuff.

There are a lot more average Chinese places, not good but not bad either (average Chinese is pretty easy to cook). The good ones are worth hunting down though.

 

[FlyingBurittoBro]

Do you know how you can tell if it's a good Indian restaurant? If there's lots of Indian diners inside.

hehe

There is this one indian restaurant just up the road from my house called Moti Mahal. It has a subway to the left of it and icecream shop to the right and sits just below a stripercize place. It's open every day and of the thousands of times I have walked past I have never seen anyone inside it. My mate reckons he bought some take away from there one night and it was rubbish. It has been there for at least 3 years and they can't possibly be making a profit from selling food so I always wonder where they are getting the money to pay the rent.

I once knew a few guys who sold bulk pot out of a kebab shop in the city and made quite a lot of money until they got stung. Maybe they are peddling dank nugs. Probably not.

Nestled right below a place with women on poles all the time it is possible that they have found a way to view this from below and charge creepers to come and watch the show. Probably not.

Was working with this guy last week and I was talking about it and he said that you can use a business to sponsor people moving to the country and charge a heap. Sounds like a bunch of bullshit. Probably not.

wtf

 

[Senior Analyst]

Do you know how you can tell if it's a good Indian restaurant? If there's lots of Indian diners inside.

I do not agree with this. Why? Indians are such tightarses they would very seldom eat out when it is cheaper to eat at home.

 

[I bleed Blue]

Chef's Tandoor Surrey Hills......lunch pack Friday - $10 for curry, rice naan and can of coke......Excellent!

Love a great curry and also spent time in Southern India, a good Tali cannot be underestimated! A dosa for brekky is a must also!

Want to find a good authentic recipe though so I can make it home!

How good are dosa's?!!

Have you ever had Sri Lankan hoppers?