Diva Indian Bistro

Connoisseur Tom and I were hanging out in Davis Square and decided to grab some dinner at a local restaurant.  After a bit of deliberation, we settled on Diva Indian Bistro, a trendy Indian place on Elm Street.  We entered the restaurant right as they were finishing their lunch buffet, and were immediately seated. 

Connoisseur Tom remarked on the attentive service that we received, despite the off-hour of our dinner. 

One thing I noticed was that we were eating at the same time as the restaurant staff, which we observed enjoying meals at another of the tables.  It is always a good sign when the staff eats from the establishment in which they work.

We both started the meal with a 22 oz. bottle of Indian lager.  I went with the Flying Horse Royal Lager, while Tom had the Taj Mahal Premium Lager.  The Flying Horse tasted surprisingly like a white wine.  The chardonnay flavors were distinct and crisp, and were accompanied by slight spicy hops and a dusty mineral water finish.  This lager was very refreshing and accompanied the food later in the meal very well. 

The Taj Mahal stated that it was “Slow Brewed for the Connoisseur” right on the label, so we knew that this was the right beer for the meal.  This lager was slightly darker than the Horse with a more solid head, steady lacing, and some sour and grass-like notes.  Both lagers accompanied spicy foods perfectly, and had surprising amounts of character for lighter lagers.  The Connoisseurs approve these two delicious drinks.

Connoisseur Tom started his meal with the coconut soup, as he is want to do at Indian eateries.  This version of the classic soup was quite perfumed from the combination of green cardamom and coriander in it, which Tom enjoyed.  He also remarked on the freshness of the coconut and the taste of pistachio in the soup. 

After the soup was completed, we stated in on the Diva non-vegetarian platter, which contained many assorted meats, including a meat samosa, chicken tikka, sausage, and other meats.  There was a good amount of fried chicken in the plate that we both thought was average, tasting like standard Chinese food fried chicken.  The red dipping sauce on the plate helped keep this meat interesting.  The sausage on the plate was delicious, and the highlight of the dish.  It was salty with flavors of peppers and pungent meaty tastes.  The chicken kebob was nice and smoky like the coals it was cooked over, but was overcooked and dry, needing the dipping sauces to be thoroughly enjoyed.  The mint dipping sauce was especially helpful here.  There was also a small cabbage and cucumber salad on the plate that served its purpose as a palate cleanser. 

Along with the soup and appetizer plate, we also ordered garlic naan.  Unfortunately, the naan was a disappointment.  It was garlicky, yes, but it was not salty enough, and it was overcooked to the point that there was some burning on the thin parts and bubbles in the bread.  It was too bad.

After the appetizer course came the entrée course, and this was certainly not a disappointment.  I ordered the Chicken Tikka Kadahi, while Tom ordered the Lamb Curry.  These dishes came to the table with a dish of jasmine rice, and we dug in.  The lamb was exceedingly tender, with deep spices and rich flavors that permeated to the core of the meat.  Tom was in heaven, and called the dish “perfect.” 

The chicken was breast meat in a yellow curry sauce with onions and mushrooms.  The meat was tender and flavorful, with the distinctive flavors of yellow curry and heavy onion sweetness.  The dish would have been average had it not been sent to the next level by the flavorful and finely textured mushrooms, which made the dish great. 

There were a few assorted random vegetables in the rice, which were a bit out of place (random pea and corn kernel) but overall, the entrees impressed.

Our meal at Diva was a good one.  There were a few shaky moments in the early going, but the entrees were very good, more than making up for the earlier execution of naan.  If you are looking for some good local Indian food, Diva is a great choice.  We would certainly go back for another round.  It is also worth noting that there is the Diva Lounge attached to this bistro, for those who like the nightlife.  There is also a buffet which could be worth a trip.  I’m sure that Diva Indian Bistro has not seen the last of The Connoisseurs.