Tiffin Kitchen: Vegetarian Dishes That Make Your Mouth Water

I love meat. Make no mistake, the words of one of my heroes, "I'm a card carrying carnivore," also apply to me.

But given the state of farms, the rising prices of prime meat and the especially meaterrific week I had been having, I opted to go strictly vegetarian this time around at . Boy, am I glad I did.

India is full of vegetarians so it's no surprise that a place like Tiffin has a menu that is nearly half vegetarian. 

I started with the onion bhaji ($3.25, onions, potatoes, spinach and gram flour fritters) and aloo papri chaat ($4.75, lentil wafers, topped with potatoes, chick peas, yogurt and chutneys). Aloo papri chaat is (in my opinion) one of the greatest things to come out of India.

It's crisp, it's hearty, it's light, it's sweet, it's savory, it's creamy, it's got it all. My only caveat is that the lentil wafers get soggy over time so it's not nearly as enjoyable as leftovers. I've never had anyone try this and not love it. It's an unexpected surprise. The onion bhaji were crunchy on the outside and savory all over. I liked them but didn't love them as much as the vegetable samosas.

For my entree I had the navrattan korma ($11, mixed seasonal vegetables in chef's mildly spiced cashew sauce). It was excellent. Most of my complaints about vegetarian dishes revolve around not feeling satisfied (where's the heartiness in a plate of vegetables?) or feeling like I'm just carb-loading (a huge plate of pasta).

The navrattan korma was a vegetable bounty (carrots, green beans, potatoes, broccoli, peas, etc.) that was also rich and hearty. The creamy cashew sauce with just a hint of spice totally hit the spot.

I couldn't stop raving about the deliciousness that was this dish. It's on the sweeter side so may not be everyone's cup of tea but the wide variety of vegetables bathed in the wonderful sauce was a revelation to me and went well with the side of rice and onion naan ($3.25). This dish is really good the next day after the vegetables have really had a chance to soak up all the cashew flavor.

When I have ethnic food I usually opt for water or a clean tasting wine. As I went here for lunch, the ice water was a perfect pairing (although I could have brought wine had I wanted to, it's BYOB).

The mango lassis here are quite good though. The service was prompt and efficient. My water glass was never empty, my food came out with the quickness and my server was more than pleased to answer all my questions and discuss how everything was prepared.

The decor of the restaurant is plenty of earth tones and rich woods. It's a warm and inviting space. I love Tiffin Kitchen and always go back for more whenever I am nearby any of their six locations. It's reliable Indian at an affordable price for the vegetarians, the carnivores and everyone in between.