New Indian Restaurant Delivers Innovative Cuisine

A new Indian restaurant has opened in Lyons Mall, next to the Morris Martial Arts Academy. While this dining location has changed hands several times over the last few years, here's hoping that Doon Indian Valley Restaurant will stay. For admirers of Indian cuisine, or those just learning their way around the menu, Doon Indian Valley should be a keeper.

The Doon Indian menu is northern Indian - characterized by stews, curries, tandoori (clay oven) cooked chicken, lamb and seafood, rice biryani dishes and a wide selection of vegetarian entrees.  Rice is a staple of Indian cuisine and Doon Valley is a region in the northern state of India, near Nepal, and known for the best basmati rice in India.

What makes Indian food so interesting is the elaborate use of spices; chili pepper, mustard seed, cumin, turmeric, cinnamon, fenugreek, ginger, coriander and garlic. Chef owner Raj uses his own unique method of mixing spices to develop what he calls 'innovative Indian cuisine.' The 'innovative' also pertains to the inclusion on the menu of several nontraditional items such as Calamari Asian Style, Satay Scallop, and Mango Basil Shrimp.

Having been a fan of Indian food for many years, I was excited to try a newcomer to the area. In order to make a fair comparison with previous meals we stayed with the more traditional menu offerings;  Keema Samosas and Aloo Dal Tikki for appetizers, Lamb Vindaloo and Murgh (chicken) Kali Mirch for entrees, and Onion Kulcha (bread stuffed with slightly spiced onions).

While we had been perusing the rather large and comprehensive menu, the waiter brought us an order of papadam and four colorful chutneys: mint sauce, onion relish, tamarind sauce and onion/cucumber tossed with cilantro. Papadam is a light, crisp wafer made with lentil flour. Topped with both a bit of the spicy onion relish and mint sauce, you get that great sensation of simultaneous hot and cold.

The pappadum and chutneys were an excellent introduction to the evening. The Keema Samosas, turnovers made with seasoned ground lamb and dotted with peas, were very meaty, and the pastry crust was unusually light, leaving the emphasis on the savory filling. I am sure the Vegetable Samosa, made with potatoes and green peas, would be equally as good.

The Aloo Dal Tikki, our second appetizer, was composed of spiced chick peas along side a mashed potato cake. It was a bit on the 'hot' side and I would have loved some cool refreshing raita (yogurt with cucumber, onions and tomatoes) to go with it. I will remember that for next time. 

Lamb Vindaloo is typically one of the spicier dishes at an Indian restaurant made with cubes of lamb marinated in spices and cooked with potatoes in a chili and vinegar flavored sauce. The lamb at Doon Indian Valley was so tender and flavorful you could cut it with your fork. By this time we had ordered the raita, which was just the right consistency and a cool counterpart to the vindaloo.

The Murgh Kali Murch, boneless chicken with cracked black pepper in a cashew nut sauce, was also extremely tender. I would caution that the sauce is rich, a creamy, buttery consistency, but if you are not worried about eating light that night, well worth trying.

An Indian meal would not be complete without bread and selecting which one is always a fun part of ordering. "Should we go for the Aloo Paratha, whole wheat bread stuffed with potatoes, or maybe the simple Nan, flat bread baked in the clay oven?"

We settled on the Onion Kulcha which is a stuffed bread with spiced onions. Like all else that evening, it was perfectly done, topped with toasted sesame seeds and fresh cilantro.

The service at Doon Indian Valley was both courteous and attentive and went so far as to bring us complimentary Mango Shakes made with fresh mango and yogurt. The decor includes red walls (known to stimulate appetite), linen covered tables, and several upholstered banquettes.

Like many Indian restaurants, Doon Indian serves a lunch buffet every day. The owner informed me that they do include some Southern Indian dishes in the buffet. Perhaps that is innovative as well.

More information on Doon Indian Valley can be found on their Web site at www.doonindianvalley.com.