First Impressions

John: If you think you’ve read an India Chef Dining Duo before, you’re not crazy, you have. Our review from 10 months ago was pretty glowing, except for one thing; our check never came. My to-go box grew moss and mold on it in the time it took for the check to eventually arrive. Tim and I knocked the service hard in our otherwise upbeat piece. This time things changed. First, I went with a new partner (to me it seems like I’ve had more Dining Duo partners then Elizabeth Taylor has had husbands, but that’s just the way it goes. Tim started worrying about his figure, so I had to bring someone else). Second, our check came this time and third, the food was better than the first visit, which is pretty unbelievable considering how great we thought it was the first time. Fourthly, our server was the owner and not only was he serving us, but he also served a party of 10 two tables away, this guy was amazing.

Copsey: I make it a point to attend anything the Beacon does that involves Indian food. I just love the stuff that the quirky Sub-Continent produces. This was hardly my first time at India Chef, but for those who have never been, it’s in the old Cheers restaurant on Holcomb Bridge. Even though it now makes curry, it still has the comfortable look of a slightly fancy bar, where, if you’re lucky, everybody knows your name.

John: A
Copsey: A

Appetizers

John: When it comes to ordering an appetizer at India Chef, let me make the decision for you: get the assorted appetizer. It comes with five different items and all of them are tasty. My favorite thing on the plate was the Chicken 65 (I don’t know what the 65 has to do with anything, my guess is that the chef tried 65 different variations on the recipe before he found one he liked). The menu describes the Chicken 65 as “butter fried.” Tell me and be honest, have you ever tasted anything that was butter fried and not liked it? I didn’t think so. Butter frying is the exact same as dipping something in chocolate, there is no way you can mess it up. The Onion Pakora, which consists of onions and chickpea flour, disappeared rather quickly also. My guess is that they butter fried that too.

Copsey: As well as the Chicken 65, the assorted dish has a vegetable samosa, sheekh kabob and some chicken tikka. I love the chicken tikka, being red-colored chicken bits soaked in yogurt, which make them very tender and juicy, and a little spicy. The samosa was basically a veggie-filled pastry, that was very light and fluffy. If you’ve never had Indian kabob, it’s probably not what you think of when you think “kabob.” The meat is a kind of sausage mixture that looks (surprisingly) a lot like sausage. It tastes a lot healthier than that though, without all the gristle and bits you’d normally see.

John: A-
Copsey: A

Entrée

John: During a conversation with Hafiz Uddin, our server as well as the owner, the cat came out of the bag that Copsey is actually a British subject loyal to the Queen. Usually I wouldn’t bring this up, but our server informed us that English people, contrary to popular belief, actually like the spiciest foods. He told us if we wanted our food really hot, we had to ask for it ‘English hot.’ I’m not sure if he made this up to help Copsey’s self-esteem, but we ordered two of our entrée’s ‘English hot’ anyway. My personal favorite was the Shrimp Jalfrazi. The dish was made with ripe tomatoes, green bell peppers and it was definitely ‘English hot.’ It wasn’t so hot that you couldn’t eat it, but it was spicy enough to get a few of my sweat glands going. Hafiz assured us that things could have even gotten a little spicier if we had wanted it too. Make sure you wrap all of your food in Naan (Indian Bread), for some reason, it tastes three times better this way.

Copsey: ‘English hot’ is why the Brits like Colman’s mustard better than Heinz: it actually has lots of bite. Plus, the ‘balti,’ which is a spicy Indian dish, is actually a British invention. Go figure – maybe it’s to compensate for the cold nights. Personally, I like the chicken tikka masala. This is like the appetizer we had, but served in a rich, creamy and spicy sauce. We also had a lamb kurma, which is a lot like the masala, but a little spicier and with almonds. And yes, the dishes can be tailored to your own spiciness. All dishes are served with rice, but the addition of naan bread is a must.

John: A-
Copsey: A

Desserts

John: Indian desserts are like old episodes of Knight Rider, I can’t ever get enough of them. We ordered all four desserts that India Chef offered: mango ice cream, rice pudding, ras malai and gulab jamon. The dish that will probably scare you is the one that looks like a red-skinned potato (the gulab jamon). I kept thinking “why are we having red-skinned potatoes for dessert.” Once you bite into this tasty delicacy, you’ll realize it’s not a red-skinned potato. It tasted more like a doughnut dipped in a bucket full of syrup, I enjoyed it. The ras malai, which was homemade cheese-balls dipped in a milky syrup, was also surprisingly tasty. I’m not a big fan of cheese-oriented desserts (especially cheese cake), but I really liked this thanks to the creamy tasty sauce that topped it.

Copsey: I didn’t really get to have any of the ras malai, since I would have lost my hand in the attack John launched on the dish. So I settled for the others. You can’t really go wrong with rice pudding. It was creamy and rich, almost like a yogurt, it was so smooth. I would have preferred it warm (just like mom used to make) but cold seems to be the American way. When in Rome! The mango ice cream, also called kulfi, was delicious and sweet, adding a great finish to the evening.

John: A
Copsey: A

Final Impression

John: For the second time in 10 months, India Chef wowed me. Although I will say that I’ve actually been there twice in the past ten months (non-Dining Duo) and had a good meal both times. Since my only complaint last time was that the check delivery was on par in length with the Paleozoic era and that problem has since been fixed, I really can’t think of anything to complain about at all. And I’m even trying to nitpick. You win India Chef, when we come back in 10 months I expect the same great food and service.

Copsey: I come to India Chef not-quite regularly, so I’m a little biased. I’m not sure how this place could be improved. There are plenty of options for even the most professional of Indian aficionados. If you like English sports, such as rugby or soccer (football), the restaurant has a couple of TVs that are often tuned to the appropriate station. So come by the next time Arsenal plays Chelsea and sample to food. You’re bound to enjoy the afternoon. 

John: A
Copsey: A