Indian Dhaba

While I would never consider myself a professional critic by any stretch of the imagination I do have certain standards I try to live up to when reviewing a restaurant. One of them is to visit the place more than once, it is important to get a general feel for the menu and how service changes from night to night. Unfortunately I have not had much time to dedicate to visiting and revisiting restaurants, and I blame Indian Dhaba for that.

Located on Brighton Ave in Allston, it is a short walk for me and easily accessible to anyone in the area. For those living further away they don’t deliver but you can order through a delivery service. Still it is worth showing up for the whole in the wall intimacy and the upscale quality food. While the entrees are a few dollars more than Indian fast food, you are also getting creamy, freshly prepared sauces instead of something bubbling away in a heating tray all day. Every entrée is made to order, mild or spicy on request, and topped off with fresh herbs.

It is sensible to start with appetizers, so I will do so in my review. The samosas are crunchy and hot, with a nice bit of masala in the core and slightly sweet. Still what you really want are the pakoras, freshly fried and dusted with spices. One order goes a really long way, so I suggest you share it with at least another person.

The breads are wonderful, from the crispy papadum and tasty chappatis to the heavy and smoky naan, which I enjoy studded with garlic. As for the food you can count on it being good, although maybe a spoonful short of a large portion. Now the Chicken Tikka Masala and Chicken Curry are fine, maybe a little bit better than what you would expect, but it is the more authentic choices that make it worth coming back again and again. If you want chicken I suggest the Butter Chicken, with chunks from the tandoor in a very rich sauce.

I personally stick to the lamb and goat dishes such as the Goat Biryani (and herb and spice packed fried rice) and the Dhabey Di Goat Curry, which is a cross between chili and curry with chunks of bone in goat submerged. As for lamb you can’t go wrong with the curry but I highly suggest the Boti Kebab Masala, which are large roasted chunks of tender lamb in a spicy sauce.

The vegetarian entrees are extremely well represented too with a variety of Paneer (homemade cheese cubes) dishes such as Palak Paneer (creamy spinach with cheese) and Paneer Tawa Masala (cheese cubes in a spicy tomato sauce with herbs). Without the cheese I suggest Dhabey Di Dal (spicy lentils in tomato gravy), Chana Masala (chick peas), Aloo Ghobi (coliflour with potatoes and onions) and Aloo Matar (potatoes, peas and chili peppers).

If you are feeling like something different though there is also an Indo-Chinese menu with super spicy variations of Chinese favorites which also incorporate some Indian ingredients. One example is the Chili Paneer, spicy cubes of cheese stir fried with vegetables and spices. Another is the vegetables Manchurian, a really hot stir fry with a distinctly Indian aroma.

Lastly for those who complain about the price, you can always show up early and get a really nice lunch for anything between $4 and $6 dollars, up to a tray for $8 with meat and vegetable entrees, fried pakoras and naan. As you can tell I’ve tasted a lot on the menu and I still have a long way to go, but it is places like this that make me miss out on the other great spots in Boston.