Punjabi Masala

TL;DR: It has gotten to the point where there is "standard" style Indian, yet that is not to be used as a knock against their quality. Instead, what has been reached is that you know you are going in for something very tasty, something often quite spicy, and can have a top quality meal from start to finish. Punjabi Masala is simply an indication of this, and bless those nearby who get to waltz down to it at any time.

For many wrestling fans around the world, it was the start of one of the best weeks in the year. Right on the cusp of one of the big four events, they also partner it up with an NXT Takeover which is always an exciting endeavour. This called for the usual tradition, which was to get onto UberEats and arrange some delivery while the show was live streaming. What that meant was seeing what was open on a Sunday - and with it ending up being Indian, at least 80% of the time it just sounds a good idea to go Indian (which is being generous - to that remaining 20% that is). Whether or not it was a new place, looking onto here and seeing I hadn't touched it was a good enough reason as any to plug in an order for down the track.

With how things managed to turn out for that day, it was a big double banger that managed to be aligned. I can forgive if a wrestling show is not that good when the food is pretty good, and if the food is not up to par at least a decent wrestling show will be able to substitute for it. Putting two great ones together manages to elevate the experience like nothing else. As far as the NXT Takeovers are concerned, this one might have been the best yet. For the important aspect though, with lots of Indian to recommend around town it gets pretty hard to have an absolute tier-list since most of it is a high level of serviceable at the worst of times. If there was a tier list, they might need to have at least seven or eight rankings, as this would be hovering a bit above most on the third level to getting in grasp of the second. Punjabi Masala is way better than most of the standard curry houses, not only because each component gotten had a meticulous mark of quality but also it can distinguish itself slightly from competition with a generous range at every turn. This is less one that is just what the residents have just there, not quite among those to really get out of your way to go to, yet recommendable enough to seek out if going under the radar is your M.O.

Hedging a bet right now for in-restaurant, the service is quite possibly on point. I wouldn't be surprised if the waitstaff were welcoming and had meticulous delivery across all aspects of customer service. Sometimes you can get the feeling through how good the food is upon delivery, and this was such a case. They were swift with getting this one from the restaurant to the front door, with the delivery driver knowing well to send a message upon arrival. A few dollars handed straight to her pocket for her efforts, and it was with a smile.

As far as the size of menus go, this one is pretty substantial and will have enough to please all patrons from a crowd of any size. For what they serve, it is not too out of the ordinary as far as Indian restaurants go. It is a subtle distinction alluding to the higher quality, their entree menu is divided into the vegetarian and non-vegetarian sections; either way there is plenty to choose from whichever way is chosen and is awesome for fans of tandoori. Curries are divided into vegetarian, seafood, and special which are customised into chicken, goat, beef, or lamb, plus some stock chicken curries. To go along with the curries, they have a decent array of naan breads, rice dishes to accompany the meals, a few dosas for a slight twist in the plot, and the general accompaniment and desserts to finish the meal off. Plus stock standard drinks from the fridge. You can really get the feel for what they are going for with a simple scan.

Something that I figured about Indian restaurants above any others, often it starts out small enough but blows itself to a fairly substantial meal after a while. That is because I like to get a good grip on how good a place is, and from the most humble-looking curry house to what could well be a hatted Indian restaurant, from starter to dessert they always have something exciting to offer along the way - thank heavens it isn't a dosa hut, those are next level. Punjabi Masala was far from an exception, and it gets that distinction that you feel excited enough to go back and try some more of their fare.

Over the years, the ordering process for Indian delivery I have has a slight mainframe. At least one starter (two if the time feels ripe), two kinds of curry (getting two different meats, or a meat and a vegetarian one - especially paneer), a naan to dip with the sauce, some lassi if it is available, plus a dessert as well if it is available too. Variations more often not occur, and more is added on at times - most definitely when they have something outside the norm. This has more or less provided a foolproof method to test the waters, especially in the case where I have had some other Indian place in recent memory.

Something along that vein went ahead for this endeavour. The starter being a reliable sheesh kebab was the starter, five of those spicy suckers made their appearance. For the curries, if I can I try to get one that doesn't make an appearance that often, and if that is not possibly the next attempt is rotating several of the common favourites around. This time had one old classic come in the pack - chicken tikka masala - and a house special (which I make a maxim of trying most times) of madras lamb.Our bread was a cheese, garlic, and herb naan, with the special addition of a paneer dosa. Finally, dessert came around and what else but gulab jamun? All this washed down with a lassi. My house mate took the sweet flavour, and I got mango.

Every single item in that pack was well chosen, was substantial in quality and very filling. It may not have been in the English style, but I do reckon that any fellow Englishman I know would be thoroughly impressed by these curries. The pieces of chicken in the tikka masala were huge, obviously cut from the thigh part, being the great combination of tender and juicy. Much similar to that, the lamb was as tender as it could get in the curry - except maybe the sheesh kebabs, those spicy deeply flavoured suckers just melt in your mouth. Both of the curries were quite spicy, melding well into their creamy textures. Adding some freshness to the meals, a mixture of tomato and capsicum gave it a slight crunch. Like it was said, an Englishman would be very proud.

A great curry, no matter how intrinsic the whole process is while cooking it, falters without some great items to support it. The main one being a naan, and this was by far out there with the best of them. Folded over, it was at least a foot in diameter, and you could see the butter dripping off the dough. Infused into the dough was the garlic and cheese, which made one hot and delicious number. It was great at wiping up the sauce, and picking big bits of meat up. When it comes to the dosa, the bug has bitten and this is every bit as good as the first time. The pancake texture is spongy, and works well to pick up the fillings - the dosa's filling had a substantial amount of both paneer cheese and potato, which mixed well with a range of spices. Once again, the dosa proves that it can be its own meal.

Lastly, both the lassi and gulab jamun made great contributions towards the meal - one in conjunction, and the other as a sweet finish. This time I got the mango lassi, and it was just as good as any one of them - the fruity flavour, the thick and lithe texture, and just being a cold drink on a hot day. What more needs to be said in that regard? Additionally, the gulab jamun are akin to the best sort of doughnuts. They have been sweetened and softened up by rose water syrup, and just go down a treat. Akin to doughnuts, it would be possibly the best thing ever if they were available in the dozen. They are that good.

Safe to say that Punjabi Masala set out to do what most Indian cuisine does, and in this case it may have even exceeded expectations - hence the massive tier list. It isn't quite hanging in the deluxe suite, however it gets not too far from the top level. Where it is at, the folks get to enjoy some nice views. Each item was par excellence, benefiting well from a combination of a great array of spices that often turned up the heat, plus a keen eye for getting good meat and such for the curries. Absolutely zero nasty bits were found, and that is about as big a praise as it could get. All in all, pretty filling and a great choice at any time - this is worth a venture for those interested enough to seek it.

Very good food. $19.00 Full plate of MOUTH-WATERING INDIAN FOOD. Unbelievable, and service with smile. Sure, will go again.