Fantastic Indian Food? Anywhere in MI

[lleeds823]

Hi, I'm located in Lansing, but seeking recommendations for fantastic Indian food & will travel. I'm really jonesing for great Indian ever since my last trip to San Francisco two years ago. Help!

[Foog]

Madras Masala in Ann Arbor is my favorite so far, but the Gobi Machurian at Neehee's was pretty darn good avoid their samosas

[ak994]

Can it be that there's an entire thread on metro Detroit Indian cuisine without mention (okay, there was that link in VTB's one post) of Namaste? If I could only go to one Indian place in metro Detroit, and only for one meal, it would be Namaste's Saturday or Sunday mid day buffet, hands down. And yes, you will wait for a seat!

I also enjoy NeeHee's, and Zayeqa (and will somewhat drive out of my way for them), but for overall dining experience the Namaste buffet still wins. The tandoori chicken (which I wouldn't normally order, but this was on a buffet) at Kababish impressed me a lot, but only that one dish.

I don't think Megha's Adithi was ever quite as good as Namaste, and in my experience with them they're less satisfying lately. I can understand the appeal of the Rochester Rangoli what with the very nice dining room and availability of alcoholic beverages. The food is more traditional (Northern? Central?) Indian though, and not nearly so flavorful as the (South) Indian cuisine at Namaste.

[christyar]

Has anyone tried the street food style at curry up (a2) or the new Phulkari Punjabi Kitchen
(MH)?

[charlesbois]

Yes, I've tried Curry Up and it's very good. Street food/chaat style, so the portions aren't enormous. But the flavors are spot-on and the heat is pretty good. They have been insanely busy since opening, which is a good sign. Looks like a lot of folks were ordering the dosas.

I find the flavors at Curry Up to be superior to NeeHee's. I just wasn't a fan of NeeHee's samosas or pakoras.

[jmax]

What are people ordering at Neehee's? It's good, but I've never understood the over the top raves about the place online.

[boagman]

I enjoy the masala dosa served with the soup/stew (can't think of the name of it now) along with a couple of (excuse the Americanization, here) "dipping sauces" for the dosa. I think it's lovely, and so does Donna. In fact, she's happy as a clam with just the dosa itself.

I'll usually get that, and then I'll try something else on the menu that I haven't had before. Not everything is absolutely wonderful, but I've had far more hits than misses. I purposefully avoid anything with cheese so as not to hold them to a standard that *no one* can meet, but they do a pretty darned good job without it in a great many menu items.

If you're not taken with Neehee's, you could also do yourself a favor and head in the opposite direction of I-275 on Ford Road, down a couple of miles to Indian Flavors, which Rainsux and I tried recently. More Indian vegetarian goodness, and great flavors. We were very impressed.

[Jim M]

There's a cauliflower dish called Gobi 65 that turns the cauliflower bright pink. I never knew what that was supposed to taste like until I got it at Neehee's.

[boagman]

Oooo! I haven't had that...I'll try it next time I'm there!

[Foog]

If you like that try Gobi Machurian it's a Indo Chinese dish they have and it is awesome, I totally forgot I was eating a meatless dish.

[Michigan Mishuganer]

soup/stew =sambar?

[boagman]

*Yes*, thank you. That was driving me just a little bit crazy, not being able to remember that.

[Michigan Mishuganer]

Not fast food,it's a very slow family operation , but worth the wait.
Indian Flavors 37628 Ford Road Westland MI 48185
734-895-9466
http://www.indianflavorsdining.com

[Michigan Mishuganer]

I was not too thrilled w/ Curry Up.
we had uttapam , dosa & idli.
the idli & uttapam did not have that nice authentic sourdough fermented tase & look (holes from fermentation bubbles)& feel.
the dosa was not crisp & filling was bland, not very spicy.
they were busy -maybe thay ran out of fermented dal/rice batter or used a mix (from the store next door)?
still seeking Indian food better than I can make at home...
the puris looked good, maybe will try again?

[trapani]

Curry Up is o.k., but the flavors have never wowed me (3 visits). I have been ruined by the fresh, lively tastes at Hut-K Chaats.

[trapani]

Delightful new chaats place in Ann Arbor (Platt & Packard). Hut-K goes for lighter offerings, that feature whole grains and wonderful vegetables.
http://www.hut-k.com/

[ooroger]

Being English, I love my curries, and two places stand out in my new home town of Ann Arbor. The first is Shalimar, a restaurant on Main Street. Great sit down place, with a broad menu - I love their vindaloo, naans, and butter chicken.

The other place is a hole-in-the-wall at the back of an Indian grocery store on Broadway (just north of the city, by Plymouth Road). It's basically one guy making your curry from scratch for less than $10. I think the place has 1 table.

For a quick lunch fix, I go to the place on Broadway. For a more refined meal, I go to Shalimar.

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Shalimar Restaurant
307 S. Main Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48104

[VTB]

Here are some other thoughts with which I'm aligned http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/708500#5907751

...I thought the admittedly knowledgeable writer was a little tough on Ashoka and Royal Indian Cuisine, but if I were coming alone (i.e., could only sample two dishes) all the way from Lansing, I'd be pretty picky and want "sure things." I'd be mad if one or both of my dishes were unimpressive, and there's a chance that would be the outcome a most of DTW's Indian places (even though there are some very good dishes here and there).

I also love the lamb stews at Zayeqa. Recent discussion (of several): http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/795225

-----
Royal Indian Cuisine
3877 Rochester Rd, Troy, MI 48083

[lleeds823]

thanks all! I'm a member on a young professionals organization and we frequently travel out of the greater Lansing area in search of various cuisines. It's been awhile since we dined at an Indian restaurant and I figured it was best to ask the opinions of some experts, rather than simply rely on urban spoon or yelp! Thanks again.

[BobRe]

I'm not a expert on Indian cuisine, but I know what Indian food that I've had that I liked. I'd like to mention Rangoli in Auburn Hills. It has received several "best of" awards from Hour Magazine and Metro Times over the years.

Their Coconut Garlic Shrimp appetizer is great, as is their Jingha Saagwala for an entree. Their butter chicken is also excellent.

http://www.detroitrangoli.com/restaur...

Bob

[coney with everything]

+1 for Rangoli

Also, if you are interested in chaats, there's an Indian grocery store (Subzi Mandi) near the Walmart in Troy that sells chaats. I've only had regular samosas there, cheap and good, but the chaats look interesting.

[JanPrimus]

Be aware Neehee's is more of a cafeteria type dining room. Bright, small tables that get wiped down in 6 seconds when you leave. The Flavors though....are all +++++++

[lleeds823]

We're fine w/cafeteria style, as long as the food is good! :D

[boagman]

It most certainly is. I was there tonight, and once again, it was great. I had the masala dosa, and left happy again.

[Foog]

Ashoka in Rochester > Ashoka in Canton from my limited experience at each

[HillsofBeverly]

Adithi in Madison Heights > Ashoka in Rochester, in my limited experience. But I eat at Phulkari Punjabi most of the time now anyway.

[Jim M]

In west suburban Detroit, try Neehee's in Canton on Ford Rd. Vegetarian chaats and other street-style Indian food, generally ranging from good to great.

[boagman]

This. I love Neehee's, though it's still a lengthy (45 minutes?) trip for me from Waterford. Still, Donna and I will go there several times a year, work around the menu a bit, but the dosa is always a winner.

I am (and will always be) an avowed carnivore, but when I go to Neehee's, I don't miss the meat at all. Great flavor is great flavor, period, and they accomplish that in spades. JanPrimus turned me on to the place, and I'm so glad he did.

Cannot stinking *wait* for them to open another location or two.

[rainsux]

+1

[JanPrimus]

Ditto

[Bada Bing]

Add me as Neehee's fan. At least as good, and perhaps the best, Indian food I've had anywhere in the USA. Like others, I'm a carnivore but I don't have a whiff of regret when eating from their menu.

[jmax]

Does anyone know what happened at Neehee's in Canton? I drove by last night and it was boarded up - There was a sign, but I couldn't read it from the road.

[rainsux]

Closed for two weeks - remodeling.

[boagman]

What?!?!??!? Was there a fire or something? They just opened their new digs within the last couple of years!

[rainsux]

No idea. Just reporting the message on their answering machine. Perhaps they are
expanding, again?

[ak994]

Some woman backed her SUV through the (all glass) front of the place, causing major damage. That was June 21. They're now closed for another week or so for repairs. It's being called an accident, but I'm not so sure it looks accidental-- though maybe mechanical malfunction.

Co Owner Vrijesh Patel posted video from their security cameras-- scroll down from here:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/12710...

[christyar]

Doesn't Neehee's own Curry on Crust? Also, Royal Indian took over Haandi in Livonia...they have coupons on miindia...miindia is great for special buffets, grand openings, coupons and menu browsing.

[SonyBob]

I like Indian but never tried vegetarian. I HATE tofu. This was back on the 16th before the accident. I went in, didn't have a clue as to what the menu said so I just asked the young man (he talked like he was one of the owners) to order for me. He ordered Paneer chilli and Chole Bhature???? I took it home, and experienced the most extraordinary Indian meal I ever had. Hands down. I swore that the "meat" in the Bhature was chicken. I even took a piece and broke it open to check out the texture. I knew that it had to be tofu but I just couldn't believe it. I'm absolutely sold. This was the best, freshest, Indian fare of my life; I'm absolutely sold.
Bob
P.S. Sorry Detroit hounds, I've been a little silent lately. I'll try to pitch in a little more.

[rainsux]

We've noticed. We've missed you. I assumed that perhaps you were being held hostage at DJB.

[boagman]

SonyBob, you sound *just* like I did before I went.

I was tempted to try it, but like you, I despise tofu, and for me, vegetarian dining to that point had not only been disappointing, it had made me downright vitriolic towards all things vegetarian/vegan/hippie-esque. After JanPrimus told me that he "honestly didn't miss the meat" when he was there, I figured that, just like going to the opera, I *had to* try it, just to tell all of the idiots out there who insisted that vegetarian could be good when done well, that they were chock full of crap.

I showed up (this was at the old, small, *very* bare bones location) and rolled my eyes like you wouldn't believe. Still, onward. I'm very motivated when I have the freedom to *earn* my place to call others out on their crap, so like you, I asked the owner (one of them) what he would recommend based on my tastes, spice preference, and such.

And boom goes the dynamite.

Never in my life had I experienced vegetarian fare that was anywhere *close* to being what I would consider to be "tasty". The stuff I had that night was just awesome (I know I had a masala dosa, and something else, but I can't remember what) for *any* type of cuisine. Flavors up the yin-yang, great textures, and just as JP had indicated: never *once* thought that meat was needed, even for flavoring purposes! Magic, says I.

Glad you're a fan. They've been talking about opening up a satellite/location in Troy for quite some time now, and I'm just biding my time until they do. In the meantime, I have to travel to Canton from Waterford to get my fix, and I've not been disappointed yet.

[tokyo]

My knowledge of authentic Indian cuisine is pretty pedestrian, but I have enjoyed several meals at Sindhu on Hagadorn in East Lansing. I have heard that Mumbai is quite good, as well. Have you tried either of these, and, if so, do they qualify as satisfactory?

[lleeds823]

I've been to both Sindhu & Mumbai for the lunch buffets & they were okay, but not as authentic & amazing as I was hoping for. But, maybe I should order off the menu & skip the buffet?