BBQ n Curry House

Sausalito has its own Halal Indian & Pakistani restaurant in Marin City, the BBQ N Curry House.   Shahid and Sana Saracha have poured their hearts into making their offerings with care and giving friendly service.  Besides being Halal, where the animals are killed humanely, the dishes are prepared with whole herbs and spices for the most part, which means you get all the flavor, without stomach upset.  

The yogurt used in the mango lassi ($1.99), and other dishes, is house made and it tastes exceptionally fresh. 

The samosa ($3.99) was served piping hot and was crisp on the outside, tender on the inside.

This special dish - Aloo Keema ($12.99), roasted potatoes simmered with ground beef, onions, tomatoes, garlic, green peppers, ginger and special spices will get you hooked.  It is a very simple dish but elevated by the ginger and 'special spices'.  Half of this came home with me and shared with a friend that had dropped by, who kept making 'mmm.. mmm' noises as he polished it off.

This garlic cheese naan ($1.99) was addictive, and garlic was very much in evidence.

This plain naan ($1.50) was hot, buttery and had a delicious blistery quality.

Another tasty special is the Chicken Jalfarzi ($12.99)- tender morsels of  boneless white chicken pieces in a thick stew with red peppers, onions, tomatoes, garlic and special spices.  I've ordered this dish several times and it it consistently flavorful.

My friend enjoyed the fish biryani ($12.99), which he kept praising for several days after the meal.   

 The fragrant basmati rice ($2)  was the perfect foil for the other dishes as well.

The service was great and the owners were friendly.  If you want to catch a plate here soon, you'll need to show up before Shahid and Sana take a vacation from September 25 to October 13, reopening October 14, 2014.

BBQ n Curry House
160H Donahue St.
Sausalito, CA 94965

(415)289-0786
www.bbqncurryhouse.com

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Taste is finally here!

Taste of the Himalayas in Sausalito opened just last Friday for dinner after much anticipation. I've been watching the build out closely and looking forward to having food from the Himalayas so close and available!  I had some correspondence with one of the owners, Pemba, wanting to know the moment the new place would be open!  Some of the correspondence happened on their convenient Facebook page where they showed the progress towards completing the build out and opening.  I've also been following the progress on Twitter. And I wrote about the opening in last week's Bread and Butter.

I was happy to finally meet Pemba and his sister Dawa in person this evening when I stopped by for my first dinner at Taste of the Himalayas.

And how is the food?  Well see what I had!

This appetizer is called Pani Puri ($6). I was so excited to find a new taste treat!  I had never heard of this Nepali street food which is described as semolina puffs stuffed with fork crushed spiced chick peas and potatoes, and chilled masala infused pani.  The small white decanter in the photo above holds what looks like water, but it is a watery topping which contains black salt, which I was told is very good for your body.  All this and a delicious light bite too.

For my main course I tried the Alu Bhanta ($10), which is potato and eggplant curry which comes with a side of the lightest saffron basmati rice.  I had it spiced medium and the spicing was just perfect for my taste. Usually I eat the items in the curry with the sauce on the items, but do not eat much of the curry sauce itself with these type of curry dishes.  I scraped every drop of this curry sauce out of the bowl, it was just too luscious to leave any.

I asked which of the desserts was the most Himalayan as the restaurant draws its offerings from Nepali, Tibetian and Indian foods, and I was told the Ju ju Dabi ($5) would be it.  Pemba sent me out one as a treat, and it wowed me.  It is described on the menu as saffron infused sweet creamy yogurt in a raw clay pot.  Dawa told me that she had brought back the authentic clay pots from Nepal.  The pot was so cute!  She said that the raw clay pot was used because it is absorbent and that it drew out the watery liquid of the yogurt, making the texture creamier and thicker.  There were pistachios scattered on the top, and the wax paper covering was artfully scrolled part way back.  It has a satisfying sweet yet tart taste, and reminded me of a bit thicker Greek yogurt.

The space is also simple yet elegant and I understand that they are starting with a simple menu and will be expanding and exploring new menu items as they ramp up over the next few weeks, including adding a vegetarian Momo (dumpling) next week. Other Himalayan genre restaurants I have been to tend to be a little more family style with less emphasis on presentation.  Sausalito's new Taste of the Himalayas chef shows much more attention to beautiful presentation which only enhances the experience.

Restaurant Inspection Results

The Taste of the Himalayas is too new to be listed and inspected at the time of post publication.

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Kitsch and Kool

'in the Central Valley where the motto is "Eat fresh, feel fresh" Where am I?' I sent this little message a few weeks ago from my Twitter account (annahaight) right from this restaurant. I was drawn to stop at a Taste of India in the town of Buttonwillow as I was hurtling as fast as I dared home on I5 from Long Beach. A few miles out I noticed a very rustic sign indicating that there was vegan food ahead. Vegan this far out?? I had to check it out. There was another one or two signs after that that I believe also included their tag line, Eat Fresh and Feel Fresh, which I liked.

Yes, the interior cannot be describes as other than kitsch. There was an attempt to lighten up the space by painting walls a saffron color, and also filling the space with colorful silk flowers. I asked to be seated near window, so the waiter allowed me to sit in an unused section (so I overlooked the white board that was sitting in front of me since I was not expected to be there).

I started with a soothing and delicious lassi which set the meal off in a positive direction. It seems that Taste of India must be stop for buses as every table had a number, and there are quite few tables in the large place.

I was astonished at the size of the bowl of Malai Kofta which arrived. I was very impressed. The soft balls in the sauce were obviously made freshly, and these were extraordinary.

Here are some of the malai kofta balls with the rice dish I ordered.

The rice dish is Egg and Onion Biryani. This was tasty with bits of fried egg and soft onions in the rice, and made a perfect foil for the Malai Kofta. I enjoyed my meal and the portions were quite generous especially for the reasonable prices. Luckily, I had a cooler with ice in it so I took the leftovers home to enjoy at a later time. If you can get over the ambiance, the food is good, particularly considering the fast food alternatives nearby.

And Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Definite fusion

Craving one of those amazing Rose Lassi's, and having Avatar's within walking distance from my office, I found myself seated at Avatar's in Sausalito before evening thinking about it.

And here is my favorite Rose Lassi.

As soon as I placed my order, a fresh and crisp Pappadum showed up.

Then the pickles came with a bonus Chappati. The fragrance was amazing! It reminded me of the whole wheat bread my mother made with freshly ground flour (she loved grinding her own just before baking). My mother never made Chappati's but beyond the smell, the wholesome grain taste of the Chappti is something special.

I decided to go with an interesting fusion dish, the Punjabi Enchilada stuffed with curried sweet potato. It was an interesting medley which tantalized and pleased the taste buds. Be sure to tell your server what level of spicy hot you would like, foods here tend to be a little spicy. And Ashok, the owner, is very good about adjusting foods to your dietary requirements, such as gluten free, vegan, dairy free etc. Avatar's has good service and a unique fusion menu with many tasty things to try!

Restaurant Inspection Results

Critical: 1
Noncritical: 0
Last inspected: 7/29/2009

Previously reviewed:
September 21, 2007
April 6, 2007
January 20, 2007

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Exotic Garden

I have to admit that I'm a fan of Indian food. So many healthy dishes with good taste! It was time for a visit to San Rafael's Bombay Garden. The buffet is not an afterthought here, but has a prominent place in the restaurant, including a row of beautiful copper pots for some of the specialties. In sheer number, I think it has the most dishes of any Indian buffet in Marin.

There are plenty (more than the choices shown) of vegetarian choices. It is hard to show a nice photo of buffet selections that you slap on the plate as you go through a line. The actual buffet tables are kept immaculately, and the colors and fragrances as you start choosing are enticing.

I made up a carnivore plate for my Dad. There is no skimping on the number of meat and seafood dishes either. Those are mostly in the copper pots. Fresh naan is also brought to your table to go with your meal. There is entertainment with Bollywood musicals playing on a large flat screen TV. If you like Indian food, you can't go wrong at the Bombay Garden.

Restaurant Inspection Results

Critical: 1

Noncritical: 1

Last inspected: 10/27/2008

Previously reviewed:
October 12, 2007

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Choices in Indian Cuisine - Marin

Woman sorting Cardamom pods in Kerala

Photo credit: iStockphoto

We are lucky to have some wonderful choices of Indian cuisine in Marin County. Vegetarianism is widespread in India, and each restaurant has wonderful treats in store for those seeking a new take on vegetable-based dishes. Here is a summary of all the Indian restaurants in Marin.

Indian Restaurants I've explored

Fairfax
Cafe Lotus

Larkspur
Table Cafe

Mill Valley
Avatar's Punjab Burritos
India Palace

Novato
Anokha

San Rafael
Bombay Garden
India Village
Lotus Cuisine of India
Om South Indian Cuisine

Sausalito
Avatar's
Sartaj India Cafe

Indian Buffet in Mill Valley

I needed a quick lunch the other day, and remembered the small, but complete Indian buffet that India Palace in Mill Valley offers at lunch every day for $8.95. It was easy enough to pop over, it being very convenient to not only Hwy 101, but my place.

Although the buffet doesn't have a large selection, it has enough veggies and meats to make a nice meal (I chose veggies of course). The staff is attentive and the offerings on the buffet are small sized and refreshed frequently so your food choices are likely to be fresh and hot (or cold in the case of the ones like salad that should be cold). I enjoyed my lunch!

Restaurant Inspection Results

Critical: 0

Noncritical: 0

Last inspected: 11/3/2008

Previously reviewed:
October 21, 2007

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Sublime

As I walked in the entrance of the new Indian restaurant in Novato, Anokha, I was greeted by the scent of roses. I looked around for the source, but didn't see any roses. I asked the gentleman who greeted me about the scent, who said that it was rose incense. I have never smelled incense that was so reminiscent of fresh roses, it was amazing. And that was just the start of my positive experience here.

I spotted a dish I'd never heard of before on the appetizer menu, so I had to order the Aloo Tikki. The appetizer is described as potato patties with ginger peas, red onions and spices, served with Chana Masala. This was an awesome dish, and one that I could have eaten as a main course. The smooth canvas of the potato patties was complemented by the chana masala with its complex flavors.

Next came the main course, Malai Kofta and rice. The smooth sauce was so rich and lush I wanted not to miss a drop. The spiced potato and cheese within the sauce was in torpedo shape, and was delicious and filling. In hindsight, as delicious as this was, I don't think I would have ordered the appetizer and main having potato as the main attraction simply because it was SO filling. The combination of cheese, potatoes, nuts and raisins blended with spices was just perfect.

Of course I had to try one of their proffered naan breads, choosing onion naan. This naan had red onions liberally mixed into it and fresh chopped greens adorning the outside. It was wonderful. The service was perfect, every time I was ready to have dishes removed, they were magically whisked away before they could become an annoyance. The waitstaff looked professional in crisp light blue long-sleeved shirts and dark slacks. The whole experience added up to nothing short of sublime. So much so that I to Tweet during the meal:

"annahaight is at Anokha in Novato - wow! Try this Indian cuisine before the masses discover this new place!" (You can follow me at http://www.twitter.com/annahaight)

This restaurant opened very recently, and if the food is any guide, will become a Marin favorite.

Restaurant Inspection Results
Critical: 2
Noncritical: 4
Last inspected: 6/15/2009

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Village Feast

I always remember India Village in San Rafael as a happy place to visit. It may be that is it family owned, and there is usually a person greeting you with a big smile at the door. I went out with some friends who know my favorite blogging hobby, so it was great fun to document a meal that was larger than usual.

First off we ordered the Spinach Pakoras, which came nestled atop some Papadums. We enjoyed the crispness of spinach coated in chickpea flour before being flash fried.

We were amazed at the greenness of the mint/cilantro sauce that was served with the appetizer. Upon questioning, we understand there is a bit of coloring added to bring it to this florescence.

One friend found the thought of Lentil Soup irresistable. He said it was delicious!

Next up came my favorite Harabara Naan with some plain Naan as well. Despite the eye screaming green, it's one of my favorite things here. It didn't disappoint.

The Prawn Curry was simply delightful, fresh and smooth.

The main dish that was my choice was Malai Kofta. I love this vegetarian dish. The rolls inside the curry sauce consists of made with cheese, potatoes, nuts, raisins and blended with spices.

The youngest member of the group ordered the Navrattan Korma, a dish I'd never tried before. It was good, now its on my list of rotation! The menu describes it as mixed vegetables with farmer's cheese and nuts.

The meat eating contingent of the party loved this steaming Half Tandoori Chicken.

And of course some perfectly steamed basmati rice accompanied the meal.

And to finish off the meal, individuals ordered an assortment of sweets, Gulab Jamoon, Keer, and Kulfi. Listed as counterclockwise from the brown balls in the photo above. Yet another great evening, and meal at India Village.

Restaurant Inspection Results
Critical: 2
Noncritical: 2
Last inspected: 3/25/2009

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Previously reviewed:
May 12, 2007

Popular Indian Hang out

No matter what time of day you go, Sartaj India Cafe in Sausalito is buzzing with people in happy states of mind. Is it that delicious chai, or something in the air? It's infectious no matter the source.

I've been Anna-one-note at this restaurant, only ordering the vegetable stew in recent memory. It's just so good! However, I was determined to try something else. And sometimes our projected pictures of what we think something is, keeps us from a marvelous discovery. Some how the description "Indian style egg plate" conjured up a picture of poached eggs floating in curry. I decided to order it anyway, and found it is NOT what I had pictured, and very delicious. It also comes with a side of my favorite veggie stew! Rice, raita and chapati complete the plate. The eggs were full of delicious green herbs and slightly spicy. I think I've found a new favorite.

On another trip I dragged my friend Daniel, who became a fan of Sartaj, and he had an interesting "Meat Combo". It consists of chicken tikka masala, chicken curry, and lamb curry with rice, raita, chapati, dahl and veggie stew. Sartaj India Cafe is not only friendly, but reasonably priced and everything is made from scratch. If you are looking for casual and good Indian food, you can't go wrong here.

Restaurant Inspection Results
Critical: 1
Noncritical: 0
Last inspected: 8/12/2008

Previously reviewed:
December 22, 2006
August 31, 2006

Taking seconds on cabbage

I had intended to try a new restaurant down the street, but found it was closed for lunch that day. The experience had its upside, as I had the perfect excuse for a return visit to Om South India Cuisine. There buffet for $8.99 is clean, well-stocked and delicious and I've always found something new and interesting among the items for the day.

I quickly assembled my meal on a plate.

And following quickly was the dosa. There is a choice of dosa or chapaathi with your meal. This was hot, crisp and perfect. It was stuffed with potatoes and cashews.

Have you ever had a cabbage dish that was so good that you had to have seconds? Well, this was a first for me. Om's Cabbage Carrot Poriyal was tender and sweet and just melted in your mouth.

The Medhu Vadai were also amazing little savory donuts made of black gram, onion, ginger, green chili, cumin, cilantro and curry leaves. These were a nice accompaniment to the saucy things. Om also has fresh fruit, salad and dessert on another table, but I'd had my fill with the seconds on cabbage. This is one of my favorite lunch spots in Marin.

Restaurant Inspection Results
Critical: 0
Noncritical: 0
Last inspected: 3/4/2008

Previously reviewed:
January 17, 2008
July 4, 2007
May 28, 2007