Mostly traditional cuisine, well done
By LIZ BOMZE | January 23, 2006
On a block of Brookline chock-full of international cuisine — Chinese, Russian, and Spanish included — Indian Café represents its corner of the world at the corner of Beacon Street and Winthrop Road. Though the menu is organized by course and protein rather than by region (as some other local Indian restaurants do), the selection of mostly traditional cuisine is extensive, and the food well executed. Flaky samosa pockets ($3.50) are stuffed with velvety mashed potatoes and green peas, and both the chicken tikka masala ($13.95) and vegetable biryani ($11.95) emit fragrant spices with their steam. Garlic naan bread ($3.50) arrives glossy with ghee and tiny shards of fresh aromatic garlic, and pairs wonderfully with the pickle-y onion chutney and the cool raita yogurt.
Most striking, however, was a last-minute order of shrimp poori ($7.95) — listed as an appetizer, but large enough to be a meal in itself. Butterflied curls of the tender crustacean arrive sautéed with chunks of green bell pepper and tomato, slabs of onion, and studs of bright, sweet green peas. Accompanied by the poori, a papadum-esque orb of fried, puffed dough for scooping, the dish makes a tasty starter for two — perfect, since the bread is best eaten within several minutes of leaving the hot oil, making sharing your best bet.
Indian Café | 1665 Beacon Street, Brookline | open daily, 10:30 am-10:30 pm | 617.277.1752
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