317007 Sat Aug 12 11:39:11 -0700 2006 28 1 San Francisco Bay Area 0 1803759 I love so-called authentic Indian, but I am an unapologetic CTM fan. I'm in Berkeley, but I'll go anywhere in the Bay Area. I'll even go places that stretch (Santa Cruz) or destroy (Sacramento) the limits of what "Bay Area" means. I don't care if it's expensive. I don't care if there's a wait. I don't care if it ain't the best neighborhood. I don't care if it's in a buffet. I don't care if it's NOT in a buffet. I don't care if the owners aren't Indian. I don't care if the rest of the menu sucks. It just has to be the best damn Chicken Tikka Masala you know about. With some interpretation on my part, recent posters rated the CTM at various restaurants as follows... (Note: these are CTM reviews not restaurant reviews) GOOD OR MOSTLY GOOD Little Delhi, Chutney, Sargam, Alhamra, Marigold, Darbar, Favorite India, Curry Corner, Tikka Masala OKAY OR MIXED Rotee, Naan and Chutney, Nawab, Spicy Bite, Roti Bistro BAD OR NOT SO GOOD India Palace, Amber India, Lahore Kahari, India Oven My particular preference is a thick sauce and smoky overall flavor. But tell me your favorite. Thanks, G Sat Aug 12 11:39:11 -0700 2006 10990 Gerard 1 1804037 My favorite CTM is at Ajanta on Solano in Berkeley. Make sure to get an app of tandoori portabello mushrooms to starts and a mango lassi to drink. ajantarestaurant.com Sat Aug 12 16:51:52 -0700 2006 1803759 10793 Morton the Mousse 1 1804047 My wife craves Naan 'n' Curry's, definitely thick sauce. I find it too rich. Sat Aug 12 17:01:45 -0700 2006 1803759 11369 Robert Lauriston 2 1804049 Do you or does she have a preferred branch? Thanks, G Sat Aug 12 17:04:45 -0700 2006 1804047 10990 Gerard 3 1804054 Food has seemed similar to me at all of them. We preferred the College branch because it was a nicer space but I hear it just changed hands. Sat Aug 12 17:08:42 -0700 2006 1804049 11369 Robert Lauriston 4 1804314 Happened to eat there recently for lunch, after a long break in favor of Indus Village. It's called House of curry (or curries) now. Food seemed similar to its previous incarnation, but the Seekh Kebab was not as flavorful, and the Baingan Bartha was a bit heavy on the cream. Indus Village is overall better, but based on that one lunch I'd say House of Curries is still a reasonable choice, especially if you want something that I. V. does not make, e.g. mushroom masala. I like their okra pretty well, too, and prices are 1-2 bucks cheaper. Sat Aug 12 20:51:17 -0700 2006 1804054 10406 twocents 2 1804185 Yep, CTM is one of N 'n' C's best dishes, though I haven't had it since the Tenderloin location moved. Sat Aug 12 18:57:14 -0700 2006 1804047 10039 Melanie Wong 1 1804060 Re Amber India, it's slightly upscale and a bit more expensive, and I wouldn't drive there from Berkeley, but everything I had there was very good, particularly the famous butter chicken. Sat Aug 12 17:14:06 -0700 2006 1803759 11369 Robert Lauriston 1 1804122 We like version at Aslam's Rasoi on Valencia Sat Aug 12 18:05:23 -0700 2006 1803759 11737 NoeMan 1 1804208 Indus Village, on San P just south of University. It's Pakistani, so you can have the excitement of getting inauthentic Indian at a non-Indian restaurant. Even so, it's great. I'd eat it every time I went except that the rest of the menu is pretty awesome too. Spicier/hotter than elsewhere, with a nice eucalyptusy black cardamom undercurrent. I also realy like the tikka at the place across the street from Breads of India on Sacramento. I can never remember the name. Sat Aug 12 19:11:25 -0700 2006 1803759 25310 Chuckles the Clone 2 1804231 Mehak. Pretty good tandoori dishes. Sat Aug 12 19:29:18 -0700 2006 1804208 11369 Robert Lauriston 1 1807790 Ah CTM... An issue near and dear to my heart. (And I like that you refer to it as CTM as well.) BEST Naan 'n Curry (all I've been to) Pakwan, SF GOOD Kabab 'n Curry, Santa Clara (yellow sauce but surprisingly good; lately they wont let you order off the menu at all though!) Nawab, San Mateo (used to be really good; too creamy as of late) FAIR Chaat Cafe, Berkeley Amber India, Mountain View WORST Kabab Korner, Santa Clara Shimla, Foster City Mon Aug 14 22:01:03 -0700 2006 1803759 10992 katya 2 1808087 When I was cruising Santa Clara last week, Kabab Korner had a banner up that it was under new ownership. Don't know how old that sign is or if the CTM has changed. Tue Aug 15 00:05:37 -0700 2006 1807790 10039 Melanie Wong 3 1813281 That sign has been up for at least a couple months. I have tried it since the sign has been up (and had the CTM) and was really unimpressed. I used to go there about 1 1/2-2 years ago and thought it was decent. I wonder if it's the change in management. Wed Aug 16 23:50:04 -0700 2006 1808087 10992 katya 4 1813351 Ok, so we're current. No reason to eat bad pseudo-Indian food in the southland. (g) Thu Aug 17 00:14:08 -0700 2006 1813281 10039 Melanie Wong 2 1810990 That was...thorough. Thanks. Now I have 4-6 places to try. Damn. G Wed Aug 16 03:42:25 -0700 2006 1807790 10990 Gerard 1 1807882 I always like to put my two cents in for Tikka Masala on 6th and Judah in the Inner Sunset. Not sure if its worth the drive all the way from Berkeley but I always enjoy. Its not too too creamy or heavy, and the chicken cubes are always moist and flavorful. Free chai, tasty nann and rice and large squeeze bottles of excellent cilantro chutney seal the deal. I've over heard many of their regulars make favorable comparisons to Nann and Curry much to the owners' (a pair of brothers) delight. Its BYOB so if you want to drink with your CTM you'll need to bring your own. Mon Aug 14 22:41:26 -0700 2006 1803759 13248 China 1 1808428 Based on a recommendation above, plus I was driving by, I stopped at the House of Curries on College Ave in Berkeley tonight. Had the CTM since it had been on my mind lately, for some reason. It was OK. It was also the same price as Indus Village ($5.99, plus $1 for rice and $1 for plain nan). They showed a lot of restraint with the salt, which was good. Decent amount of chunks of boneless chicken, but that smokieness the OP was looking for was way too subtle. The spinach and lamb, palak ghosht was better. A buck cheaper than I.V. but not nearly as full of complicated tastes and wow-what-the-heck-is-my-tongue-doing spices as the I.V. version. All in all, a solid, if standard, addition to the neighborhood. Again, it also appears to be Pakistani, so the same thrill of inauthentic Indian at a non-Indian restaurant applies. According to the menu, there is another branch on Durant at Telegraph. Tue Aug 15 03:04:49 -0700 2006 1803759 25310 Chuckles the Clone 2 1810993 Thanks for the review. Especially helpful since I'm here in Berkeley. G Wed Aug 16 03:43:47 -0700 2006 1808428 10990 Gerard 1 1808636 There used to be a great place on Burlingame Ave, gone 10 years that was worth the drive. I've been looking for its equal with no success. Please give addresses of some of your favorites, especially on the Peninsula, but in Berkeley or the city, too. Tue Aug 15 05:57:40 -0700 2006 1803759 18317 gb44 1 1808705 The best Chicken Tikka Masala - CTM - is at Tabla in Foster City. Great flavor. Rich, creamy, spicy and flavorful but not hot. Comes with complimentary rice or naan, which are excellent. Prices are resonable. Ambiance is clean and bright. Service is fast and friendly. Tue Aug 15 08:30:46 -0700 2006 1803759 25807 pinballjunkie 2 1810917 where is Tabla in Foster City? Wed Aug 16 02:56:16 -0700 2006 1808705 18317 gb44 3 1810918 Here's the website, and a recent thread. http://www.chowhound.com/topics/show/314185 http://www.tablaflavors.com Wed Aug 16 02:59:05 -0700 2006 1810917 10039 Melanie Wong 4 1813760 So, I found Tabla, a hole in the wall behind other holes in the wall on Shell Ave. in the only shopping center south of Hillsdale Blvd. However, I was not alone as this bare bones place was full, with a good percentage of Indian customers at lunch. On the other hand Tabla, touted by hounds for CTM did NOT have it on the menu. I asked my server who looked at me quizically and told me I had a choice between Chicken Korma and the fish Masala I selected. I also inquired about the dinner menu and was told it was the same. Undaunted, I very much enjoyed the fish. Extremely flavorful with tons of cumin and som much heat that it required rice to cut the spices. None of the smoke and cream that permeate my memory and previous posts. Other than naan, I was limited to smelling all the delicious dishes being brought to other customers. So, while I liked it and would go back, my CTM search will have to extend to Berkeley and S.F. (unless others can give me more guidance on the Peninsula) I see two locations for Naan and Curry, one on College ave and one on Haight St. Is this correct? Thu Aug 17 03:47:17 -0700 2006 1810918 18317 gb44 5 1813902 Good on you for pushing ahead! Tabla's on my radar for a check-out soon. I just looked at the menu and note that Butter Chicken is offered - perhaps that's what was ordered here by pinballjunkie? Thu Aug 17 05:26:11 -0700 2006 1813760 10039 Melanie Wong 1 1811140 I like Naan 'n Chutney on Haight. Creamy, thick sauce. Not terribly smokey. Cheap and the best I've had. We always go there especially for CTM after a long hike in Marin. Wed Aug 16 06:08:31 -0700 2006 1803759 16029 LJR 1 1813414 Quite a little hit list I've got going. Here it is--rather redundantly... (Any other favorite dishes I should try?) SAN FRANCISCO 1) Naan 'n' Curry 2) Pakwan 3) Tikka Masala Also mentioned (positively): Naan 'n' Chutney, Aslam's Rasoi BERKELEY Ajanta Indus Village -- what else should I try? Mehak -- not a Breads of India fan, so I enjoy the thought of crossing the street SOUTH BAY Tabla Nawab Amber India This is going to be fun. G Thu Aug 17 00:48:41 -0700 2006 1803759 10990 Gerard 1 1813861 at pakwan, try the bengan burtha pakwan style. it is not on the regular menu, but if you ask for it they will make it for you. it is the regular bengan burtha with a bit of cream that makes it exceptionally tantilizing especially if you eat it with fresh hot naan and onions sprinkled with a little lemon juice and a dash of salt. amber in santana row has the some of the best indian fusion food in the bay area. i would try some of their contemporary fare dishes. the menu changes from time to time so hard to give an exact recommendation. spice hut in sunnyvale also has some great unique dishes. try the biriyanis ( i really like the egg biriyani and my husband loves the lamb ). it is inexpensive and worth going. for good vegetarian fare, i would try milan's in milpitas. it is inexpensive and has a huge variety of dishes including desi chinese dishes (indian-chinese food). the manchurian dish and paneer wraps are delicious. Thu Aug 17 04:58:32 -0700 2006 1803759 26483 khaanalover 2 1814863 Pakwan also has really good saag (I suppose it was saag paneer though I can't imagine the boyfriend let me order anything with cheese), and I'm not usually a fan of this dish. I also remember Mehak's CTM being exceptional. Thu Aug 17 17:26:42 -0700 2006 1813861 10992 katya