Need a good Indian recommendation

NNTP-Posting-Date: Fri, 07 Jan 2000 12:14:45 CST
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>My pick is Moti Mahal on 2525 W Devon.  Good food, very cheap and a
>Sunday brunch.

I used be, still am, a great fan of the original MOTI MAHAL on Belmont. However, in my book, their Devon branch has remained a notch or two below the best competition like TIFFIN, INDIA GARDEN. Personal taste I guess.

Basically I bother with MOTI MAHAL (Devon) and Viceroy only if the better places are untolerably overcrowded, which happens once in a while.

For those who would enjoy a hole-in-the-wall greasy-spoon cabbie place, there is none better than SHAN on Sheridan, west side of the road, one block south of Foster. The menu is handwritten in Urdu, but the waiter will patiently recite it to you if you a ask. Once they get to know you, they may even start bringing what they think you would like/should have without asking. But no, this is not the place to impress your in-laws or business contacts!

-Anil

NNTP-Posting-Date: Sat, 08 Jan 2000 02:19:49 GMT
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Hello, Anil, you said

>Basically I bother with MOTI MAHAL (Devon) and Viceroy only if
>the better places are untolerably overcrowded, which happens once
>in a while.

Moti was my favorite before Tiffin and Indian Gardens, and maybe Woodlands of Madras (or is is Mysore? -= it's next to Indian Gardens). And is still one place to get good food pretty cheap. Also, I think it might still do the best samosas in town.

Check out Broadway Kabob and Nihari on Broadway, between Granville and Devon. I feel remorse at not having gone there all these years. And why? Because one of my friend's sister said it sucked! NOW I can see why it "sucked"--because the goat biryani I got was excellently spiced stuff with a hint of tripe (I think) and she obviously couldn't stand it! Some people grow so damn "refined"... Never trust people who say "ewwww" to 90% of the world's cooking. I can't believe I went there *assuming* it was going to be bad. Now I feel like I showed up drunk at a devout Muslim's house. Peace

I've observed a cycle over the years. Ten years ago, my top two choices on Devon were Moti Mahal and Viceroy. Once they became very popular, their quality started to deteriorate. Then Indian Gardens was my favorite, but it's deteriorated over the last few years. Now my favorite is Tiffin. Maybe it would be better if we kept it quiet.

BTW, I think this pattern also closely parallels recommendations in Chicago Magazine.

NNTP-Posting-Date: 12 Jan 2000 15:31:46 GMT
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Someone wrote:

[snip]
-> also has anyone tried hema's kitchen which is about half a block north
-> of devon on a side street that's east of western?  (hey why not use the
-> phone book--it's on oakley.)  i've heard good things elsewhere--any
-> comments from anyone here about how it compares?

I've eaten there. It's good, Hema pretty much makes the food right when you order it - so it isn't particularly FAST service. There wasn't a buffet when I was there (week night evening) and it was pretty casual. I was made to feel very much like I was visiting an aunt who would cook my favorite foods :)

The food was tasty (not the usual rogan josh tastes like mutter paneer tastes like chicken tikka) and hot. Both my husband and I had a bit of tummy distress the next day, which may just have been our systems not being able to handle that level of spices. You can let her know if you want it hot or not.

Hope this helps,

Lee

NNTP-Posting-Date: Wed, 12 Jan 2000 15:20:23 CST
Xref: pale-rider.INS.CWRU.Edu chi.eats:6744

Someone wrote:

>of the places recommended, which are good for carryout?

Most restaurants will provide carry outs. Howevr, since prices reflect a fancy dining room and service, you may not be getting the best value.

Carry out is one opportunity to try simple places with good food. I would recommend SHAN very highly: it is on Sheridan, in a very tiny "mall", west side of the road, one block south of Foster. Menu is written in Urdu on the wall, but ask the waiter to recite it to you. If you have favorites, he will tell you if they have it or something similar that day.

On Devon, but at the outer edge of the Indian area, is Gharib Nawaz, lsightly west of Damen. Very cheap and good.

Give us your reviews.

-Anil

NNTP-Posting-Date: 14 Jan 2000 23:43:08 GMT
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Hema's is one of my favorite home-style places in the Devon area (or in Chicago for that matter).  Hema cooks her food with care and is one of the warmest restaurant-owners I have ever met.  She deliberately keeps her prices as low as possible so that taxi drivers and the like can afford to eat there.  One of the other commenters noteed that there was not a buffet there on the day he went--I don't believe she ever does buffets (except for private parties), as she likes to tailor the food for the party that orders. She has a number of dishes she will make that are not on the menu, which are wonderful.  One chicken dish, in particular, which I refer to as Hema's special (not on the menu) is unlike anything I have ever had.  Just thinking about it makes me want to go there tonight.  she will also concoct special dishes for vegetarians...

It is true that service is not always speedy, but it is loving.  If you are interested in take-out, you might want to call in your order ahead of time (which many local families do).

Enjoy!

 Someone wrote:
: In article ,
Someone wrote:

: [snip]
: -> also has anyone tried hema's kitchen which is about half a block north : -> of devon on a side street that's east of western?  (hey why not use the : -> phone book--it's on oakley.)  i've heard good things elsewhere--any : -> comments from anyone here about how it compares?

: I've eaten there. It's good, Hema pretty much makes the food right when : you order it - so it isn't particularly FAST service. There wasn't a : buffet when I was there (week night evening) and it was pretty casual. I : was made to feel very much like I was visiting an aunt who would cook my : favorite foods :)

: The food was tasty (not the usual rogan josh tastes like mutter paneer : tastes like chicken tikka) and hot. Both my husband and I had a bit of : tummy distress the next day, which may just have been our systems not : being able to handle that level of spices. You can let her know if you : want it hot or not.

: Hope this helps,

: Lee

: --
: [email removed]

NNTP-Posting-Date: Sat, 15 Jan 2000 19:09:46 CST
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>Only the bravest of non-Indians would venture into Flavorland for example.
>It remained quite busy until it closed. The quality of the food didn't
>seem to decline in its last few months.  I'm just guessing that it did not
>close due to a lack of business.

If you enjoyed the old Flavorland (before the rights to the name were acquired by Viceroy), you should try SHAN. It is on Sheridan, west side of the road, 1 block south of Foster.

-Anil

> SYKoppel wrote:
> >
> > I've observed a cycle over the years. Ten years ago, my top two choices on
> > Devon were Moti Mahal and Viceroy. Once they became very popular, their
> > quality
> > started to deteriorate. Then Indian Gardens was my favorite, but it's
> > deteriorated over the last few years. Now my favorite is Tiffin. Maybe
> > it would
> > be better if we kept it quiet.

I could not agree more about Moti Mahal. I didn't visit the Viceroy or Indian Gardens enough to make a judgement about them.

I've noticed another aspect of the trend.
Based strictly on my own limited observations, it seems that this pattern only applies to places which become popular with whitey.

Only the bravest of non-Indians would venture into Flavorland for example. It remained quite busy until it closed. The quality of the food didn't seem to decline in its last few months.  I'm just guessing that it did not close due to a lack of business.

Last night I enjoyed another great meal at Arya Bhavan (- 2508 W Devon South and North Indian Vegetarian).  Although the joint was fairly busy, my party was one of only two tables of white people. The other table of non-Indians were faux-hippies. (don't get me started...)

Someone wrote:
>If you enjoyed the old Flavorland (before the rights to the name were
>acquired by Viceroy), you should try SHAN. It is on Sheridan, west side
>of the road, 1 block south of Foster.

I agree, Mr Trivedi, and thanks. I don't know why I never went until yesterday, considering I live only four blocks away. Nice people too, no fakeass fawning. Very home-like atmosphere. Nothing beats a "chai" after dinner while it's snowing outside--but you have to have a place like that. Not for people who complain incessantly, though. So if you aren't extremely particular about "too spicy", "too greasy", etc, then try it...

NNTP-Posting-Date: Fri, 10 Mar 2000 05:03:24 GMT
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Gaylord's is the best Indian restaurant in Chicago - possibly the cleanest, too.

E. Mott