Tuesday, May 22, 2007
Gurkha Palace
In a spirit of adventure, Hil and I went in search of a North Indian restaurant which our friends took us to a couple of years ago. When we arrived at Little India last Saturday evening and saw the rows & rows of eateries, we were not so confident that we'd find the place after all. Fortunately for us, as we were about to settle for one of the eateries, we spotted a picture of Jesus in one of the shops and decided to check it out. While the menu for that particular restaurant didn't really entice us, we continued walking along that same street and finally found what we were looking for - Gurkha Palace.The decor and setting of the restaurant was unmistakable. Nothing seemed to have changed since the last time we were there. The tables were lit with a traditional-looking lamp and covered with Indian-ish maroon table cloth. The place is distinctively coated with a strong and heady scent. A perfect ambience for an adventurous meal.
Papadum
Before we even place our orders, a basket of papadums was placed in front of us. You might be thinking, papadum is papadum is papadum. Well, this one's different from those you'd find in your typical prata eateries. The papadums here can remain crispy a lot longer when left in the open and it has a fragrant taste to it that keeps you munching non-stop. A side dip of mint sauce is provided which adds a refreshing dash of flavour.
Himalayan Tea
This exotic cup of tea is what I'd term - acquired taste. It has an alluring aroma which draws you to take a sip but its aftertaste is strong, smelly and downright weird. Who'd have thought that an innocent cup of tea would stir such intense emotions? Funnily enough, it grows on you and by the time u can see the base of the cup, you'd wish that there's a refill for more.
Kukhura Pakora
These bite-size pieces of deliciously marinated chicken is a perfect appetiser which would bring many of our fast-food joints to shame. The chicken is crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, there are no bones and it has the right mix of spices for the taste buds. It is accompanied with the same mint sauce which was used for the papadum and strangely enough, it brings out a totally new and unique flavour which accentuates the aftertaste of this dish.
Jhol Wala Kasi
In simpler terms, this is mutton curry. The good thing about this dish is that it has a generous serving of chunky mutton. And as the description suggests, I had expected the meat to be chewy and difficult on the jaws. Fortunately, it was as tender as a medium-cooked beef steak. Apart from that, there was nothing memorable about this dish. I'm quite certain we'd find a place with better mutton curry.
Palak Paneer
Don't be fooled by its appearance. For a veggie nitpicker like me, I would have never ordered this bowl of blended spinach by choice. The first time I tried it, (when my colleague ordered at another Indian restaurant), I was pleasantly taken aback by how delectable this dish was. Since then, it has been a regular on my menu. There is no strong distinct veggie smell in it. Instead, it is skillfully mixed with Indian herbs and spices to exude a subtle yet tantalising flavour, sprinkled with a trace of cheese cubes to break the flatness of the taste after eating for awhile.
Garlic naan
This is a traditional Indian bread for dipping into the gravy of the mutton curry and blended spinach. Nothing much to rave about though. I'd have preferred it to be warm, slightly crispy and smelling of toasted garlic. A disappointing but necessary dish.
Himali ice cream
Ah, finally, we're at the desserts section. What you see in this picture is not ice cream. The chocolate ice cream is snugly buried under this heap of toppings (which I have no idea what is it). The topping is relatively tasteless and chewy, the ice cream itself is mediocre. Ben & Jerry's wins hands-down.
Gulab Jamun
Those delicious-looking balls are actually milk, kneaded in a dough and deep fried until it's golden brown. It is served with thick warm sugar syrup and sprinkled with almond flakes. Perfect for those with a very sweet tooth.
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Gurkha Palace - 51 Chander Rd. Tel: 6292 4316
