Indian Oven

After finishing a beauty treatment with C'est la vie a Maggi, we headed to West 4th based on convenience and decided to try out Spoon Kitchen. There was no reason why, it was just random. However, while walking there, Maggi started getting hangry and let me tell you, she was not pleasant to be around. So, despite her mentioning a couple of hours before about how she never craves for Indian cuisine or find it anything special, I took advantage of her hangriness and at the last minute, walked up the stairs to Indian Oven.

Although I did hesitate because despite enjoying Indian cuisine, sometimes I do not want to come out smelling like it, especially if I am wearing something that needs to be dry cleaned, and washed my hair the morning of. But, I guess the Chinese side came out of me because I had to take advantage of their lunch specials which includes naan and rice! Am I embarrassed to say that I do feel a pinch when spending $8.00 on plain rice at an Indian cuisine restaurant? Nope. I mean, the portion of rice is usually small and costs $4.00! There is just something about paying $8.00 for rice and still needing more when only eating for two, and that gets to me.

The restaurant looks like a fancier Indian cuisine restaurant and had faint Bollywood music playing in the background. As for the interior, the restaurant has a high ceiling and follows a cold color scheme; different shades of blue painted walls, chairs and table cloths, and white napkins rolled in drinking glasses. In addition, the restaurant has a couple of televisions as well as chandeliers, and gilded golden antiques by the bar. Furthermore, asides from the fact that the restaurant is pretty big, patio seating is available as well!

CHICKEN CURRY, NORTHERN STYLE DISH MADE IN TRADITIONAL THIN CURRY SAUCE WITH FRESHLY POUNDED CHICKEN ($12.95).

Going for the chicken masala and due to my indecisiveness, we changed after ordering and went for the chicken curry. Although the curry has a decent amount of moist tasting chicken, the curry does not taste flavourful enough or spicy. As for the sides, a simple cucumber and tomato salad tossed in olive oil with a dash of pepper, tastes fresh as well as refreshing. Continuing along, the basmati rice tastes perfectly cooked and is not too hard (which does happen at other restaurants!).

BUTTER CHICKEN, THE MOST POPULAR INDIAN DISH MADE WITH BONELESS CHICKEN, TOMATOES AND FRESH CREAM ($13.95).

Outside the restaurant on a chalkboard stand, Indian Oven declared that they serve the "best butter chicken". So of course, we ordered the butter chicken. The butter chicken has a good amount of moist white meat which tastes tender, and the curry tastes more tomatoey than creamy. Furthermore, the butter chicken is served hot and does not taste heavy on the salt, despite preferring a more buttery than tomatoey taste.

LAMB VINDALOO, CLASSIC SOUTH INDIAN DISH COOKED WITH A DASH OF VINEGAR ($13.95).

Last up is the vindaloo which is one of my favourites. The vindaloo has the least amount of meat, however, there is still a fair amount of somewhat tender pieces of lamb. As for the curry, there is no hint of spiciness! According to Maggi, there was a hint of spiciness, however, she may have mistaken it for spices (honestly). Asides from the lack of spiciness, there is a good tartness but other then that, the vindaloo does not taste flavourful enough and could have used more spices, as well as at least a mild level of spiciness!

NAAN. The naan tastes doughy, thick, stiff as well as chewy, and has no nice elasticity. The flatbread was hard to rip apart! In addition, despite the browning spots, the naan is pretty much soggy and limp because every piece was stacked on top of another. Although Maggi did say she enjoyed it… 

TOTAL: $41.85 + TIP $4.15 = . $46.00.

Overall we tipped 10% because there was no service and despite requesting for everything to be spicy, nothing was! Not even the slightest hint! I literally said, "Is it possible for everything to be actually spicy? Because you know sometimes when you request for spicy at a restaurant, it is only mild? Can it actually be spicy?". Yeah, I was one of those annoying customers. Perhaps that is why nothing tasted spicy? How can vindaloo not be spicy? Although to be fair... Maggi did say, "Extra spicy? Not too spicy" when the waiter confirmed the level of spiciness. However, I did give the okay and told the waiter extra spicy is fine. So, everything should have came out at least with a mild level of spiciness.

POSITIVES
- Large restaurant with patio seating
- Typical lunch specials are offered which includes naan and rice
- Staff is not rude
- Moist meat in the curries

- Average eats and does the job, but does not kill a craving

NEGATIVES
- Food could have been more flavourful
- What the heck does spicy mean?
- Naan is one of the worst I ever had

LITTLE THINGS
- C'est la vie Maggi's post [here]
- Perhaps the food is North Americanized… which would be the first for me and possibly make sense

Food: 2.5/5
Service: 2.5/5