Taj Palace

Sometimes it takes a gentle nudge of encouragement to get one to try something new. This was the case with me of eating at any restaurant that served authentic Indian cuisine. I was glad I got the nudge. If youre like me, you associate Indian cuisine with fiery hot. At Taj Palace, you can have your food served that way if you wish, but they make the concession to novices like me and offer a mild and medium variation on many of their dishes. Taj Palace is located in a strip mall just off Scottsville Road. Dont let that dissuade you from eating there. Once you get past the ordinary storefront, they have done a nice job of creating a pleasant ambiance. The lighting was subtle a few Indian decorations and pictures graced the walls and Indian music provided a soothing atmosphere. The tables had white tablecloths and were covered by a sheet of thick hard plastic. But since the prices were very affordable, you can hardly expect them not keep their laundry bill under control. Our service got off to a rocky start, but steadily improved throughout the evening. It appeared we were seated in what may have been no mans land. I think our servers were confused who should be waiting on us, but once they got it straightened out, the service was excellent. The server was patient when we asked questions and gave us good advice on what to eat. There was a lot to like about the food at Taj Palace. We made it clear from the beginning that this was our first experience with Indian food and decided to try everything at a medium degree of spiciness. To whet our appetite we were served two large wafers called papadum. They were crisp and lightly seasoned with cumin seeds and black pepper. Along with the wafers were two sauces (chutney) for dipping; one was a darkly colored watery sauce made from tamarind, which is a sweet/sour fruit from India, and the other was ground green chili peppers, cilantro, green peppers and herbs made into a paste. Two distinct textures and tastes, to be sure. I preferred the first, but both were bursting with flavor and werent tongue-blistering hot. Because we didnt have a clue what wed like for an appetizer, the assorted appetizer platter made sense. The sampler included a vegetable samosa, vegetable pakoda and shrimp pakoda. The samosa was shaped like a pointed fritter, stuffed with mashed potatoes and whole green peas. It was seasoned with cumin, coriander, and paprika, then fried. Pakoda, we learned, is a chickpea batter in which the vegetables and shrimp were dipped before deep-frying. What a great combination! Various vegetables are served; we had onion, cauliflower, cabbage and bell pepper on our serving. For dinner we ordered the shrimp tandoori, which we were assured was a medium-heat dish because too many spices would spoil the taste of the shrimp. We also got the chicken tikka masala, which we were told is a favorite of Indian families. Many dishes on the menu were prepared in a tandoor, a clay oven surrounded by sand to keep the heat from escaping. The bread they served is called naan, and is a light, flat bread made from dough of super fine flour and baked in clay ovens. The shrimp were two-biters that had been marinated in a variety of spices and were very good. But the chicken tikka masala is the real dont miss. Boneless breasts of chicken are marinated in a yogurt base, roasted in the clay oven, then cooked into a creamy tomato sauce flavored with green peppers and herbs. Let me guide you to one more thing that you may not normally try: traditional Indian tea. Its a mixture of equal parts black tea and half-and-half cream, with cinnamon, cloves, fresh ginger, whole black pepper and cardamom. It was a highly unusual but extremely flavorful treat. As you can imagine, each ingredient provided a different taste. Let this be your nudge to give Taj Palace a try the next time youre looking for a different taste sensation. The reviewer is employed at the Daily News. He/she pays for his/her meals and his/her gym fees to maintain his/her figure. New restaurants are given an eight-week grace period before being reviewed. To comment, contact managing editor Mike Alexieff at 783-3235.