restaurants

Taste of India

The thought of going out to explore little known, small local restaurants was a nice idea, but not something we were actively pursuing (yet). And going out for an ethnic meal we’d never tried before, like Indian food, had never really occurred to us. Then fate stepped in and we found ourselves at a tiny Indian restaurant a friend had recommended to us. One look at the menu and we panicked. I called my friend right there and made her tell us exactly what to order, something for Indian food “beginners”. She pointed us in the direction of Chicken Tikka Masala, and THAT’S when our foodie lives changed forever. The flavors were electric and the creamy, silky sauce felt like a warm hug. After that we were hooked. Whenever we found ourselves in a new city it was all about finding their best Indian restaurant. Birthdays, anniversaries for the next few years were all celebrated with some Chicken Tikka Masala. We tried recreating it at home, but could never get close to restaurant quality flavor and texture. So you better believe when we relocated to Melbourne, we were on the hunt for the best Indian we could find. Enter Taste of India off Wickham Road. Does it have an alluring and charming exterior? No; it’s in a small, unassuming strip mall. But the service is kind and welcoming; the lighting is dim and cozy; and then food is a fantastic experience. So when Tyler’s birthday came around, Taste of India was an easy choice for our night out. You gotta go with the tried and true favorites when celebrating! We almost always order a Mango Lassi when we come here – if you’ve never had a Lassi before it’s a delicious sweet yogurt drink. Trust me, it’s a must-order! That huge cone was something new for us…to be honest we didn’t really know what it was at first! Our waiter recommended it and called it a “dosa” – basically it’s a giant crepe (made with rice and lentils) that you unwrap, and ours came with chicken tikka to put inside. So good! Tyler ordered the chicken Tikka Masala (duh) and I got the Rogan Josh. Tip: ALWAYS order naan on the side of your main dish! It’s a pillowy, buttery soft bread that was born to be dipped in Indian sauces.