Of all the Renton eateries that Freddy has discovered and shared over the years of writing Displaced Hipster, my #1 favorite hands-down is the fabulous Naan N Curry in downtown Renton. We were for years a loyal Pabla customer, shunning the red-and-yellow McCurry looking awning that cried out "food court Indian". But Freddy convinced me to try it when he first wrote about it in 2006 in his post "Moses and Krishna vs. Mohammed".
We've never looked back. We eat there regularly and sample widely -- Chicken Tikka, Lamb Handi, Gobi Gosht, Kareli Gosht, Chicken Jalfraizi -- good lord, they are all good. So very, very good. Part of what makes it so good is the attention to the spices, part is the dedication to broadening the standard Indian restaurant fare through numerous Pakistani dishes (cf. Lamb Handi).
Lately they have built on this strength by adding a one sheet of new recipes, which I've ordered from both the last times we were there. Tonight I ate the Achra Gosht, a curry with a mango base and chunks of tender lamb. Although the first bite I thought it might be a touch on the sweet side for me, three bites in I was hooked. Also notable is the Chicken Tikka prepared with a green sauce -- mint and coriander -- a delicious departure from the also excellent Chicken Tikka on the regular menu. The one and only downside is the steady creeping up of the dinner prices.
If you are a fan and haven't checked out the new menu, it's definitely worth a trip. Or two. Or three. Additionally, if you are a fan, Naan N Curry has been nominated for Best Indian in Western Washington -- you should add your vote!
http://best.king5.com/naan-n-curry/biz/137555
I voted from my table, as I sopped the last bits of Achra Gosht with my naan.
8 comments:
It's been a while since I've dined at Naan and Curry. Still love the place, but you're right about price creep. It's now the unusual delicious gourmet place rather than the cheap meal place.
That place has the best Indian food I've had in the US. Comparable to places I've been to in London and Mumbai.
I also have been a big Pabla's fan and had had a couple of lunch specials there that were less than stellar. Then, a friend took me out with some friends from India and they showed me the works through their ordering that night - and we dined on some Pakistani dishes as well (apparently hard to find anywhere that serves them). They all told me that Naan & Curry is known far and wide - I have even seen tour buses pull up there to disgorge hungry visitors. I am now a fan, to say the least. But you are right about those prices - even eating together family style with only a lassi apiece and a simple appetizer, the bill was like $25 a head. Not a cheap eats night.
Yeah they are great! Vote for them in the King 5 competition, they going for the best in the northwest!
http://best.king5.com/naan-n-curry/biz/137555
The food is so good here. I like the Chicken Masala. We would go a little more often, if we could avoid spending $40+ every time for two. We could probably do without a side rice and Naan for each of us, which is extra cost ;)
naan & curry is good but lets face it curry is slop from a crock pot and naan & curry seems to charge on a sliding scale... i vote for pabla!
After moving to this neighborhood, my husband and I were thrilled with Naan & Curry the first time we went (lunchtime)...the food was so good. The second time we went for dinner and walked in not realizing it was just a few minutes before closing time. We would have been fine had they just said it was too late, but they let us in and then proceeded to be insultingly rude; I mean so rude that it took us awhile to realize that he (chef/owner? I'm not sure) was not joking. We politely offered to come back another time or get our order to go---they agreed to the latter but just before bringing our to-go order out he made a "hawch-ptoo" spitting sound so loud from the kitchen it seemed unmistakeably for our sake. We'll never know for sure but we were so stunned we just paid and left, and it turns my stomach to think of going back. The food at Pabla is always delicious and the service courteous. I'll never go back to N&C.
Naan N Curry is a good restaurant, but not great. Redmond has great - and less expensive - Indian restaurants. There are a few good Indian restaurants in Kent, as well. Of course, the U District in Seattle has some very good Indian restaurants.
I'm a spice wimp, admittedly, so when I ask for a one or two stars, that's what I want. On at least two occasions, my order was spicier than my companion's, who had ordered three stars! Also, many of the appetizers are just plain too hot!
The freshness of the food is quite good. It definitely does not seem to be out of a crock pot, as some other poster alleged.
I'd rather take the drive to Kent or even to Seattle, though, to get decent Indian food that won't drain my dining budget.
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