What I Ate: February 6, 2010 (Tarka Indian Kitchen)

For dinner, Tina and I headed over to Tarka Indian Kitchen (5207 Brodie Lane, Sunset Valley, TX‎ - (512) 892-2008‎) which was recommended to me by one of my neighbors (who is Indian). Turns out to be not a good recommendation. We ordered several items to try at the counter after which I realized that the place was the Indian equivalent of Yan Can - sauces are prepared before hand and proteins are mixed in with the sauces (which is the opposite of how many Indian dishes (like the vindaloo we ordered) are prepared with long slow cooked methods that meld the flavors of the protein with the spices and sauce).

We started with Vegetarian Samosas which were not bad. The flavor and texture was fine, but I felt there was some spice or taste that was missing (but I'm not well-versed enough in Indian cooking techniques to identify what was missing). This was the only dish that I would be willing to order and eat again that we had.

Sauteed Chicken Tarka "Naanini" Freshly sauteed ingredients stuffed inside perfectly toasted naan bread. Served with masala fries. After we got the dish we realized it was a combination of Naan and Panini. We were hoping for stuffed naan like the kinds we've had in the past, but instead we got a sandwich of thick, almost pita like bread that got gummy once you started chewing it. I really didn't like the naan used in the naanini. The filling was pretty good though. The limp fries were seasoned with what looked to be paprika and salt.

Chicken Tikka Masala Mouth watering creamy tomato curry infused with fresh herbs and ground spices. I thought this was really sweet and overly acidic. Also, it was 75% sauce and 25% chicken. I think I would have preferred a bit less sauce (and thicker with better flavor balance) overall.

Lamb Vindaloo Tangy onion and tomato sauce sauteed with bell peppers & potatoes, finished with tamarind chutney. Much too sour. Also, this is the one dish I would expect the sauce to take on the character of the protein since stewing is generally part of the cooking method. Too late, we realized that it's just a vindaloo sauce that they toss the lamb into before serving.

I then went back and ordered Garlic Naan Leavened Indian flat bread coated with minced garlic, basil & seasoning because the naan we had in the naanini was unsatisfying. Unfortunately, this naan was absurdly bland for something with garlic and seasoning. I think it was missing salt. I also don't think any of their food has much butter (let alone ghee). When asked, they said they used mostly soy oil with a little butter to make the food healthier. Too bad, the food could have used the flavor.