Restaurant Review: Chinnar Indian Cuisine ~ Lunch Buffet

Restaurant: Chinnar Indian Cuisine
Address: 416 W. Swedesford Rd. Berwyn Pa. 19312
Rating: ★★★ out of 5 stars
Style: Eat-In / Take-Out / Catering / Lunch Buffet / BYOB
Food: Indian
Atmosphere: Casual but Uninspired
Parking: Lot
Service: Friendly
Price: $8.95; ½ Price for Children Under 5.
Unique Feature: The mango juice, a traditional beverage would mix nicely with vodka or sparkling wine for a delicious BYO cocktail.

While my expertise in eating has yet to fail me, my wealth of knowledge when it comes to Indian cuisine is as remedial as it gets. I’d only had Indian food once before: an unimpressive delivery dinner. So when Chinnar Indian Cuisine in Berwyn landed on my radar, I asked a friend who has a deeper appreciation for Indian food to join me.

We arrived at Chinnar just as the lunch crowd did. They seemed to have a solid business-lunch following, and with its $8.95 price tag, it’s no surprise.

We headed up to the buffet. At first glance, the pans before me seemed to be filled with unfamiliar looking stews, but as I looked closely, I started to recognize ingredients. I immediately began to formulate my unfamiliar-buffet plan. For efficiency’s sake, I decide that I’d designate each portion of my bread to a different colorful scoop. That way, all of the juices and spices could soak into the bread.

I picked up a piece of naan (Indian bread) and put it on my plate, followed by a scoop of basmati rice. Moving down the buffet, I piled on the day’s offerings.

My friend laughed. Apparently, that‘s not how it’s done.

I chose a Vegetable Pakora (fritter), a scoop of Channa Masate (chic peas), a scoop of Baingan Dharta (eggplant), some Zeera Alu (spiced potatoes), and a piece of Tandori Chicken.

I strategically skipped the Palak Paneer, (cottage cheese and spinach), but opted to try the mango juice.

Baby steps. I began with the Vegetable Pakora. It looked unassuming enough, so I took a bite. The fried veggie and cottage cheese ball was unimpressive and dry, so I moved on.

Digging the naan out from underneath my choices, I began navigating the plate like a true Italian; fork in one hand, bread in the other.

The Channa Masate, chic peas cooked with spices and tomatoes, reminded me of a thick spicy chili. It motivated me to move onto my next scoop, just to see what it was all about.

The Baingan Dharta, or grilled eggplant was only recognizable by its telltale seeds. It had been mashed and cooked with onions and tomatoes, creating a deliciously spicy eggplant stew with a flavor and texture all its own.

While skipping between chic peas and eggplant, I made time for bites of Zeera Alu, perfectly cooked potatoes spiced with cumin seeds.

The mango juice, probably by design, does the trick in taming the spice of the food with a consistency of a yogurt smoothie. My friend and I laughed, deciding that some champagne and vodka would make this traditional beverage something really special. Chinnar’s a BYOB, so maybe next time!

I gave the Tandori Chicken a go; the pink shell reminded me of some kind of Asian pork I’d had once, but it was dry, and not worth a second try on my next go-round.

Heeding my friend’s suggestion, I chose a scoop of Chicken Curry and a scoop of Chicken Tikka Masala to pair with my rice and naan. I also grabbed a tomato soup, which was surprisingly fresh and flavorful.

Back at our table my friend tore off a piece of naan and worked her way through her choices. I realized the difference in our styles, so I tried it her way, immediately flicking the curry chicken sauce onto my shirt, leaving a bright yellow stain (that did not come out). The chicken was good, in both preparations, but played second fiddle to the sauce I was then wearing. 

The meal was definitely worth sacrificing my favorite shirt, but as for my expertise in Indian food, I’m still a long way away. Chinnar’s strengths lie in the depth of its spice combinations, the flavors of its sauces, and the textures of its vegetables. And hopefully, after a few more meals of this deliciously spicy cuisine, I can be a little more eloquent in my explanations. 

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