Tanveer, the name of the manager and chef of this place, is not just coming from the right place, but also has the credentials to his name that should make any fan of Indian cuisine around Brisbane feel optimistic. Working previously at Taste of India and Himalayan Delight in Brisbane, plus at a renowned hotel in India, it is safe to say that this is one talented man. Here he is now, as the man of his own Indian restaurant having two locations in the hearts of Underwood and Capalaba. Already liking the food I got from here enough before learning that, it makes he think even more highly after knowing that.
There was one night in which I did not feel like cooking, so it was time and again to go back to Menulog and fill in an order. My dining buddy did not feel to well then, and was only going to have something a bit plain for dinner; thus, I went to put the available possibilities in order of cost and simply this one looked good. Plugging the orders in, it was time again just to sit and wait while the meal arrived.
This time with the delivery, the service was quick and clean. All that happened was that the car arrived on time and that both the money and food exchanged hands. That is about it to discuss, you could not get it easier or more straightforward. In the pack, there were a couple of complimentary pappadams - always good.
Tanveera's Curry Hut serves Indian cuisine. More specifically, the curries that they do are from North India which is where the curries made from a yoghurt based gravy originate, plus the use of cheese, ghee and nuts among other ingredients along with cooking using the tandoor. If anything about the menu really is good, it is how they phrase each section of the menu. Examples include "Follow on the Meadows" for lamb curries and "From the Eden Garden" for vegetarian curries. The outlay of the menu is a lot more streamlined.
There're a few entrees - given two sections called openers and second openers - that are respectively the samosas/pakoras and tandoori meats. Next are the curries, with meat options being chicken, beef, lamb, seafood and vegetarian. Recently it seems that places I have eaten from have had vegetarians somehow winning in the end - not this time, as the section there is quite small. Following up are rice, salads and beverages, then several lots of naan, all being finished off with the option of gulab jamun.
Starting off, it was time for some samosas. With the minced meat of course. As usual, that slightly different taste that lamb has really helps with the aroma, mixed in with a bunch of delicious spices. Encased in a solid, crispy shell, it is one of the best street snacks to exist, and always a good choice as an opener to an Indian feast. Next were the curries.
Beef vindaloo needs no introduction, the darling of those who want to go for the spicy option. Unlike a lot of vindaloos, this one did not seem focused entirely on being as spicy as it could be. Moreso, the flavour was slightly smoky, and the bits of beef were like chunks, super tender and with a great, rich flavour exuding out of the flesh.
I can't be the only one who can have just one curry with a meal, particularly if it is Indian. Part and parcel of the experience is getting a bit of something from everywhere to create a substantial meal. All of it just tastes too good. A second curry was ordered, this one a milder dish. It was the butter matter paneer, which was a pea and cheese curry mixed with a spicy butter sauce. There was something about this curry that was so good, it came down to the distinct flavour of a spice that I could not put my finger on. The cheese itself was plentiful, and also tender; it infused with the flavours of the gravy very well and all the spices showed themselves physically - a meat eater like me was even impressed more than the meat curry.
Getting Indian just is not the same without a naan to complement the curries. With all of the choices, what ended up sounding the best was a cheese and garlic naan. There were actual big bits of garlic mixed throughout the dough, and I could taste them just as much feel them with my teeth when eating the bread. When they say cheese, they are not kidding around; this had a big film of it all over the two and it was melted finely over the dough. Pulling it apart was easy, and the texture was soft yet firm.
For a beverage, I went with a mango lassi. A cute design that somehow I had not seen before, and how come? It came in a takeaway coffee cup, which is the coffee fiend in me speaking. Onto the beverage itself, the texture was some of the creamiest that I have drunk in a while. From retrospect, it was less like a lassi and more like a smoothie that happened to be based off yoghurt. There was plenty of ice to keep it cold, and I enjoyed every last sip.
If all honesty is being needed, recently I have found myself liking the Indian food that I have eaten but have rarely been blown away by it as of recent. Most of it has been good, but I have found that often the flavours seem all the same and that it mostly seems that you can critique it only so much - about the meats used and everything.
Upon trying the fare at Tanveer's Curry Hut, it was all renewed. There were actual discernable flavours and tastes in the sauces, both of which tasted freshly made and everything. Call it a long shot, but I reckon that this might be one of the best places from around town to get your mouth around some tasty curries. And with the talent working the kitchen, there is a good reason why.
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