Bhabi's Indian - Chicago

[elfin]

Hema's is great but the service (lack thereof) amd wait is really a drag-Have taken friends to Hema's, Viceroy, Ghandi and Tippen. Looking for another place for variety sake. Prefer nonvegetarian. Heard that Bhabi's on Oakley is really good. Anyone been? Thanks.

[ronnie_suburban]

Michael at EatChicago.net really likes it a lot:

Indian Home Cooking (Bhabi):

. . . The food at Bhabi's Kitchen truly has no equal. Everything is made fresh to order and truly tastes homemade. We managed to taste a few appetizers, some naan, and about 5 entrees. The samosas were flaky, spicy, and delicious. I am still thinking about the Butter Chicken (cubes of chicken in a buttery, spicy tomato sauce) and the Mutter Paneer (green peas and cheese in a spicy sauce); both of the bowls that these were served in went back to the kitchen completely clean. The Frontier Gosht was unlike any dish I've had in an Indian restaurant. It was made from beef and onions, and was reminiscent of Mongolian Beef. Absolutely delicious . . .

And here's an index of all his posts about it:

Bhabi posts at eatchicago.net

=R=

[VeryApe77]

I loved the meals I have had at Bhabi's but haven't been there for a while...I hear that he has expanded the restaurant so that it now seats a lot more people. Whether or not this effects the food/service remains to be seen...I'd give it a go for sure though.

[elfin]

The place is booked on Saturday night. Any other recs (preferably BYOB -ran a big bar tab last time at Tiffin)?

[elfin]

Was able to get in early-6pm. OMG! One of the best Indian meals we have ever had. Best meat samosas and the veggie ones were gone before they reached my side of the table but garnered raves. Chili chicken, butter chicken, egg plant, lamb with spinach-yum yum. Great service I assume it was Mr. Sayed - and his wife in the kitchen cooking like mad -friendly and never felt rushed. I rec getting the pastachio naan for dessert. The onion garlic naan was delicious. Forgot to get the broccoli rabe---next time! Dined with two Indian food novices and two experts and all agreed that it was excellent.

[karen m]

Not sure whats going on at Bhabi's. During this summer I have been there twice and enjoyed it very,very much. My husband loves saag lamb and it is wonderful.

We were hesitant to try it again hearing about their expansion, and went

yesterday and found it disappointing. The Shami Kabob was room temperture, Veggie Samosa very good but, it was a Samosa.

The saag/Palak Gosht was good but not as tasty as the past, and my Aloo Gosht was fair. I have made more tastier Gosht. The Nan had always been our favorite, what a dissapointment. Heavy, tasteless and cold. We should have sent it back. It was very busy even at 6:30p. When we left my table was facing the kitchen and when I look in I saw a cook placing another nan on top of a pile of about 7 nans, and not near a heating element. So just curious what others have experienced lately?

[hsm]

I've been with friends. Twice. First time, last summer, it was among the best Indian meals I've ever had. The butter chicken, daal and broccoli rabe were superb; flavorful, fresh-tasting, mouth-watering. Our naans were excellent. The vegetable samosas were so perfectly cooked and flaky - and served with a delicious tamarind chutney - they gave us hope after we'd given up on samosas elsewhere.

Unfortunately, this experience was not repeated when we went back a couple of weeks ago. We got there around 5 on a Sunday, to avoid the crowds. The samosas were the same as we remembered them. So, excitedly, we repeated the broccoli rabe order and added butter shrimp. "Disappointment" doesn't quite cover it. The butter shrimp was a bowl of greasy tomato sauce in which several baby shrimp floating pathetically. The rabe was tasteless. It had been so layered with flavor before.

I have no idea who was in the kitchen. I don't know if Mrs. Sayed was in there, but I doubt it. Or at least, I hope not. We should have returned both the orders or at least asked Mr. Sayed to taste them and help us understand what had happened. We didn't. We ate a little and left. The server, noticing the food left on the serving pieces didn't ask if we'd like to have them packed to go (as before). We would have declined.

Hema, we'll see you again soon.

[nick.kokonas]

This is way outside my area of expertise, and perhaps this restaurant is a bit too much geared for the American palate, but I found Tiffin to be the best of that genre in the city... at least in terms of freshness and preperation of the food. I cannot comment on authenticity, but the meal was very enjoyable with some pointed flavors.

[ronnie_suburban]

This is way outside my area of expertise, and perhaps this restaurant is a bit too much geared for the American palate, but I found Tiffin to be the best of that genre in the city... at least in terms of freshness and preperation of the food.  I cannot comment on authenticity, but the meal was very enjoyable with some pointed flavors.

←

I agree about Tiffin . . . love it there.

This news distresses me because I've heard so many good things about Bhabi's and have always wanted to try it. Is it possible that their recent problems are temporary and could subside somewhat after the expansion takes root?

=R=

[liv4fud]

if you are really interested in trying out authentic food, I would strongly recommend Sabri Nehari

its pakistani food and alcohol of any kind (byob or otherwise) is not allowed. service is borderline but seriously go for food.

some suggestions:

* sabri chicken

* frontier chicken

* nehari (offcourse)

* chicken biryani (never had but heard great things)

* pasanda kababs - highly recommend it

now regarding bhabhi's - they have 2 locations - I have been to the one on oakley/devon.

their food is definitely authentic. but service is not present. food is definitely good but not great.

[elfin]

We ate at Bhabi's on Saturday night. It was, again, fantastic. We declined the pastachio naan (overated and too sweet for an appetizer) and ordered the Kheema (meat) samosas. IM (and others) HO, the best samosas in town. My 3 y.o. loves the tamarand chutney and the mint chutney is good as well. We ordered the butter chicken (not very meaty but I just love the gravy and skip the meat anyway), the lamb and mutton gosht (Sayed always asks if we want all lamb which I find great when dining with anti goat folks), saag paneer, dal malkani (sp), the Bhabi's eggplant (that sauce!) and plenty of butter and garlic naan. We again took some folks who were unfamiliar with Indian food and not fond of overbearing curry flavor and they were licking their plates clean. The place was packed by 7 and service got a bit confused but unlike Hema's, Sayed actually hired servers to meet the increasing demand. Sayed's wife was in the kitchen that night and appreciated our thumbs up. The bill including service was $100. It is our 'go to' Indian place.

[hsm]

It's good to read that you had an experience similar to our first visit to Bhabi's. I'm with your 3 y.o. in love with the tamarind chutney. I could just eat it with a spoon and would have if the samosas hadn't been so good.

It's the uneveness that concerns me. I rather my Indian restaurants not be like life or a box of chocolates: I want to know what I'm going to get.

Edited November 16, 2005 by hsm (log)