Good Indian food in the burbs

[philadining]

I had some really good South Indian food at Devi in Exton on saturday. They do a buffet for lunch every day, and at at dinner only on friday and saturday nights. This particular night they were serving only the buffet, and it had a special Tamil theme. Devi is a vegetarian restaurant, and serves a number of dishes I don't recall seeing very often at other places around Philly. I don't know if it's always buffet only on the weekends.

Devi makes a wide variety of Dosa and Uthappam, the rice and lentil crepes stuffed or topped with various things. I was initially disappointed that there was only the buffet because I was really hankering for a masala dosa. I was thrilled when someone came by and asked if I wanted a dosa, I think I could have gotten any kind. A few minutes later a nice, fresh, crispy dosa filled with potato and onions arrived, at no extra charge.

The buffet itself was not especially lavish, but it did have a nice variety, including a few things I hadn't ever seen before. Everything I had was very good, especially the dark brown, rich, mushroom curry and the cauliflower with peppers. I also liked a polenta-ish thing that I couldn't see the name for, but it had a nice creamy texture, studded with nuts and raisins. Oh, and the vegetable kurma, and.....

Sadly, there was one chaffing dish set out by itself, seemingly the highlight of the buffet, and shortly after i sat down, there was a big crash - apparently it wasn't balanced too well, and a customer had accidentally tipped it over onto the floor. It was never refilled, so I don't know what it was.

They had Sambar and Rasam soups, which were both good, especially for dipping a doughy iddly. There were Mudhu Vada savory donuts, pakoras, little mini poofy Puri bread, a pulau, a couple more curries... lots to eat. I really liked the wide variety of chutneys, not just mint and tamarind, but also sweet onion, tomato, mango pickle, more.

It was nicely different from most of the other places I go, and quite a value: the best $11 dinner I've had in a long time.

I'm always reluctant to fall back on this old cliche, but almost everyone eating there was Indian, which is a little unusual out in the burbs, so I'll take it as an indication of some measure of authenticity. Regardless, it was good, and different.

[mrbigjas]

schweet. and closer than edison. i'll be heading out sometime soon.

[SG-]

schweet.  and closer than edison.  i'll be heading out sometime soon.

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If you're into vegetarian, here's another place to check out in Bensalem, also closer than Edison...

http://www.uduppidosahouse.com/menu.html

[Furious Flav-or]

For non-strictly-veg, Royal India (formerly dishing out great while-u-wait at the US Petro gas station in K of P, now only a lunch-time self-serve per lb. buffet) has moved into quarters on Rt.30 in Frazer, just west of where Rt. 202 comes through. The front is a food store, and the back a restaurant, done in a sparse, but bright manner, with high ceilings and the inescapable flat-panel TV on the wall. We had a dinner buffet there a few weeks ago that was really, really good. I wish I could remember more of what was on it, but paneer masala and pakoras stand out.

Edited April 18, 2005 by Furious Flav-or (log)

[philadining]

Desi Village in King of Prussia is really good for Pakistani/North Indian. It's a little fancier and pricer than most of the places I like, but the people are very nice, and the food is good. I love the Papri Chat, all the tandoori stuff including breads, and the bengan bartha is the best I've ever had, really smooth and smoky.

145 South Gulph Road

King of Prussia, PA 1940

desi-village.com

And just north a bit on 202, in the plaza with Tower Records and the Acme, is Jaipur. I just keep forgetting it's there, tucked at the back of the plaza.

336 DeKalb Pike, King of Prussia, PA 19406

http://www.jaipurindia.com/

Edited April 18, 2005 by philadining (log)

[Furious Flav-or]

Haven't been to Desi yet. I snagged their take-out menu tonight, oddly enough, on the way home after inhaling a T-bone around the *cough* corner. Been to Jaipur. With a tear in my eye, I kept on wistfully looking across the parking lot and trying to picture the tree-trunk cutting board and beat up pans in that shabby little gas-stained curry shack down the road and across the street. We'll be heading for Frazer more often in the future.

[mrbigjas]

i discovered desi village last year during a weekend at a conference at king of prussia. after a couple days of out-of-towners feeding me all the pizza and steaks and whatnot i could eat, i was jonesing real nutrition and on a whim stopped in there, which we had seen while going to buy wine, and we had a really great meal. it IS a little fancier and pricier than some indian restaurants, but well worth it. get the mustard greens if you go. oh also it's BYOB.

[Rich Pawlak]

I would also suggest SULTAN, in Lansdale, PA, as a very good suburban Indian place; it is some of the very best Indian I have ever had, made with care, preseneted beautifully, but people with real enthusiasm for their craft.

I live but 3 blocks away from arguably the best Indian place in NJ, Taste of India in Lawrenceville. This is a very Indian dining-dense part of the country, and it's an embarassment of riches.

[mrbigjas]

schweet.  and closer than edison.  i'll be heading out sometime soon.

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If you're into vegetarian, here's another place to check out in Bensalem, also closer than Edison...

http://www.uduppidosahouse.com/menu.html

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whoa, now that i did not know. that's the closest to philadelphia that i've seen that cuisine. i'm going very very soon.

[philadining]

Also, Palace Of Asia, 285 Commerce Dr, (In the Best Western Hotel) Fort Washington, PA. Is very good for Northern/Pakistani.

[Buckethead]

Khajuraho in Ardmore has the best Indian food I've ever had in my life. In fact, before I had gone there, I always thought I didn't like Indian food. Turns out I'd just never had it done right. They beat the pants off of Jewel of India (also in Ardmore), the old Shivnanda in old city, Minar Palace, and Passage to India. I have heard that Taste of India in Wayne is also excellent, but haven't tried it yet. I don't know if it's related to the Taste of India that Rich is talking about.

[stephenc]

Best Indian food in the suburbs is at Amon's, at the corner of 202 and Germantown Pike in West Norriton.

Go there.

The owner, the tall guy with beard/turban, rocks and cooks up a storm. Go spicy.

My friends and I are regulars at the Saturday lunch buffet.

Edited April 18, 2005 by stephenc (log)

[davidbdesilva]

I'll agree with Rich that Sultan in Lansdale (5 minutes from my house) is very good. I also like Spice Grill in Chalfont, a stones throw from where I work and serving $6.99 lunch specials. But Amon's I've not been to, and 202 and Germantown Pike is quite close as well. I will have to try it out! Being a lover of Indian food (as are my kids as well), I must make it to Jersey to encounter what I keep hearing is the best Indian around. Lawrenceville is not that far Rich! I'll have to load up the van and head over there sometime soon!

[Andrew Fenton]

It has always struck me as strange that the best Indian food in Philadelphia is to be found outside of Philadelphia. Why is that?

hypothesis: Indian immigrants to the area (most of whom have arrived in the last 20-30 years?) settled in the suburbs; there's no Indian area in the city comparable to Chinatown or other ethnic conclaves.

comparandum: up until a few years ago, the same was true with Mexican food; for anything other than fancy food (Tequila's, Paloma), you had to go to Kennett Square or maybe Norristown to get the good stuff.

[Diann]

It has always struck me as strange that the best Indian food in Philadelphia is to be found outside of Philadelphia.  Why is that?

hypothesis: Indian immigrants to the area (most of whom have arrived in the last 20-30 years?) settled in the suburbs; there's no Indian area in the city comparable to Chinatown or other ethnic conclaves.

comparandum: up until a few years ago, the same was true with Mexican food; for anything other than fancy food (Tequila's, Paloma), you had to go to Kennett Square or maybe Norristown to get the good stuff.

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On that note, what do you guys think is the best Indian to be found IN the city? (if I'm taking this too off-topic, I apologize)

[Buckethead]

On that note, what do you guys think is the best Indian to be found IN the city? (if I'm taking this too off-topic, I apologize)

There are a lot of places I've never been to, but none of the places I *have* been to have measured up to a place that's gone out of business. That was Shivnanda, down in Old City. It was next door to Kabul, which I think is still around. They made great rice there.

This thread got me in the mood, so tonight I tried out Desi Village. It was good, but not nearly as good as my favorite, Khajuraho. For one thing, the service was inattentive, at best. We waited at least 15 minutes after getting our menus for someone to even come back to our table. There was only one other occupied table in the place, and there were several employees walking around who didn't seem to be doing anything in particular. We endured a similar wait to get the check.

The food was a lot better than the service, but my Chicken Makhani was in a sauce that was separating as it sat in the dish, I had to keep stirring it to keep the oil in suspension. Not a pretty sight, but it tasted good. The naan was excellent, and the rice was a lot better than most other Indian places I've visited, but also not as good as Khajuraho.

[davidbdesilva]

I agree that the best Indian I've had was at Khajuraho. It was bright and intense, spiced well but not overpowering, I loved it. I must venture into central Jersey though (Edison area) and experience it there as well, problem is trying to decide among the plethora of choices!

[Papaya]

there's no Indian area in the city comparable to Chinatown or other ethnic conclaves.

Do you mean ethnic enclaves? Conclaves are what the cardinals do to elect a new pope, right? I guess that word has been floating around recently!

[stephenc]

On that note, what do you guys think is the best Indian to be found IN the city? (if I'm taking this too off-topic, I apologize)

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I love Indian food, but I really do think better Indian food is found outside the city.

Inside the city, I found Karma to be good. Cafe Spice in Old City is also surprisingly good. Both are much more expensive than the suburban Indian places I've been to (Khajahuro, Sultan, Amon, Desi, Jaipur, )

South Indian is much more difficult to find around here than Northern Indian cooking.

[philadining]

On that note, what do you guys think is the best Indian to be found IN the city? (if I'm taking this too off-topic, I apologize)

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In Philly, I'm still partial to Tandoor out on 40th Street: no atmosphere, but good food (including dosas) at a good price. And it's a bit too pricey and crazy on the weekends, (I've vowed to never again go into Old City on a weekend night, until the 20-something scenesters find a new neighborhood to stagger around in) but I like the food at Cafe Spice.

[philadining]

... other ethnic conclaves.

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We have to understand the context, Monsignor Fentoni was on the short-list to be the next Pope (the REAL reason he's moving to Italy) so we'll have to forgive the linguistic slip.

[Mummer]

We have to understand the context, Monsignor Fentoni was on the short-list to be the next Pope (the REAL reason he's moving to Italy) so we'll have to forgive the linguistic slip.

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And I thought he was lookin' to be a dangerous Vesparado...

[Diann]

In Philly, I'm still partial to Tandoor out on 40th Street: no atmosphere, but good food (including dosas) at a good price.  And it's a bit too pricey and crazy on the weekends, (I've vowed to never again go into Old City on a weekend night, until the 20-something scenesters find a new neighborhood to stagger around in) but I like the food at Cafe Spice.

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Tandoor! I live (for now) a couple blocks away, but I always find myself going to New Delhi instead. Not sure why. Do you order off the menu at Tandoor, or do they have a bunch of interesting things in their buffet?

I don't consider myself an expert in Indian food, but I do like Sitar's buffet (38th and Chestnut, behind Chili's) -- good buttery fresh naan, masala dosas and samosas, and both rice pudding and gulab jamun for dessert.

[philadining]

Tandoor! I live (for now) a couple blocks away, but I always find myself going to New Delhi instead. Not sure why. Do you order off the menu at Tandoor, or do they have a bunch of interesting things in their buffet?

The buffet is pretty good, but there are a few things like those pesky dosas, and even bread, that I think are MUCH better made fresh. So I sometimes order from the menu, unless I'm in a hurry, or just really in the mood for a wide variety, which now that I think of it, is most of the time.

I don't consider myself an expert in Indian food, but I do like Sitar's buffet (38th and Chestnut, behind Chili's) -- good buttery fresh naan, masala dosas and samosas, and both rice pudding and gulab jamun for dessert.

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I have liked some of the food at Sitar's but I often find some of the spicing kind of harsh. I don't just mean spicy, hot is fine with me, but somehow edgy, rough, prickly.... But then, because of that, it's been some time since I went there, so that's an old opinion.

There used to be a few more to choose from out at that 40th and Chestnut nexus, but it has thinned out. I keep meaning to try Kabobeesh a few blocks west in the old American Diner, anybody have opinions on that place?

Or should we spin this off to a "good Indian in town" thread?

[SG-]

There used to be a few more to choose from out at that 40th and Chestnut nexus, but it has  thinned out. I keep meaning to try Kabobeesh a few blocks west in the old American Diner, anybody have opinions on that place?

Or should we spin this off to a "good Indian in town" thread?

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Kabobeesh is definitely worth checking out. But I warn you its a true no frills joint.

Simple menu of lamb, chicken, quail, fish, resam kabobs to choose from. All charcoal grilled to order served over a bed of rice with a side of curry usually vegetables, fresh greens and nan. They have some specials offered during the weekends. One of which I tried was the curried cow's feet. A litttle gelatinous reminded me of oxtail but wih less meat, quite tasty.

Highly recommended if you're in the mood for some no-nonsense cheap eats.