(two forks)
252 E. Army Trail Rd., Glendale Town Centre
Glendale Heights
630-529-5560
Hours: 11:30 a.m.-10 p.m. Sun.-Thur., 11:30 a.m.-11 p.m. Fri.-Sat.
Credit cards: A, D, M, V
Noise factor: Hushed
First impressions
This west suburban Indian restaurant is one of the few businesses operating in an attractive but sparsely populated strip mall. Apart from a few Indian-inspired artworks, the drab dining room looks more like a petite VFW hall, with folding tables and booths covered in white paper topped by paper-napkin wrapped flatware. Carryout is the best way to go.
On the menu
This is three-fork food. Well-crafted regional fare from central India constitutes the bulk of selections, with dozens of vegetarian and meat options from which to choose: curries, kebabs, dal, to name three of the many staples represented here. Portions are generous. The menu also includes an impressive array of Indian breads.
At your service
The waitstaff is casual but pleasant, though not always attuned to guests who aren’t overly familiar with the cuisine. The menu’s definition of “mild” may not jibe with delicate palates–though bolder diners will relish the authenticity. If heat is an issue, make sure there’s water close by; side orders of rice or bread–both well executed here–will also soften any surprises. And we appreciated the care with which the takeout items were packaged.
Second helpings
We savored every bread we tried; all were beautiful to look at and clearly made to order. The large discs of deep-fried poori arrived soft and puffy, with the requisite melt-in-your-mouth texture. Naan, a thicker unleavened bread that accompanies many dishes, offered sturdier support and just as much flavor. And though we were told the gobi paratha (wheat bread stuffed with spiced cauliflower) was not too hot–oh, yes, it was!–we loved the layers of flavor. For appetizers, try the chubby cheese samosas, their flaky deep-fried shells bulging with generous fillings of cheese, tomatoes and onion. The citrusy-spicy tamarind dipping sauce and hotter green chili sauce offer disparate but excellent support. Pakora, with meats or vegetables lightly coated in a chickpea batter, also earned praise. The vegetarian entrees we tried proved hearty and satisfying: palak paneer, a creamy, comforting and mild melange of cooked spinach and homemade fried cheese cubes, and the hotter-than-heck eggplant-and-potato, a stewlike combination of the titled ingredients as well as tomatoes, garlic, ginger and “spices”–hot pepper being one of the leading players. Among meat items, the lamb kurma hit a perfect pitch with its sublimely thick curry sauce holding tender cubes of meat. Chicken biryani, another comfort-food contender, delivers a less exotic but pleasing mix of basmati rice with cubes of breast meat and a gentle touch with its blend of spices, including saffron.
Take a pass
Chicken tikka kebab, ground chicken with lots of pepper, arrived sizzling hot but the meat was dry and the accompanying vegetables lackluster. Ditto for the tandoori chicken, though the dark meat was a bit more moist.
Thirst quenchers
Fruit lassi, the sweet yogurt-based beverage, is offered, as well as soda. A pleasantly bracing Indian masala tea steeped with cardamom, cloves and cinnamon will perk up the senses. And a good lineup of beers–Indian as well as other imported and domestic varieties–are preferred to the unremarkable wines by the glass.
Extras
A $7.95 all-you-can-eat vegetarian buffet featuring dishes of northern India is offered 6-9 p.m. Fridays; a second buffet of vegetarian dishes from throughout India is 6-9 p.m. Sundays for $9.95.
Prices
Breads and sides, $1.25-$3.25; appetizers, $2.50-$10; entrees, $6-$10; beverages, $1-$6; dessert, $2.75.
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Reviews are based on anonymous visits by Tribune staff members. The meals are paid for by the Tribune.
Ratings key:
4 forks, don’t miss it; 3 forks, one of the best;
2 forks, very good; 1 fork, good
