Best Indian Restaurants - Astoria
Top rated Indian Restaurants In Astoria. If you live in Astoria you don't have to walk far to experiene the best, most authentic Indian cuisine that is a vital component of India's culture and culinary tradition. Astoria and Long Island City are lucky to be home to many immigrant and first-generation Indian-American chefs and restaurant owners.
A new breed of chefs is tweaking traditional family recipes with contemporary twists and cooking techniques elevating Astoria's Indian restaurant scene to impressive heights.
Saffron Indian Cuisine - Astoria
The owner and staff at Saffron Indian Cuisine, located at 44-04 Broadway, have created a warm, welcoming environment where you can enjoy traditional Indian food with a contemporary flair. Saffron is a very appropriate name for this restaurant because this delicious spice plays a leading role in many Eastern and Western dishes. In fact, Saffron is the foundation of classical Indian cuisine. Whether you are a home cook or professional chef, this is the one spice that you must have in the kitchen.
The crocus, by the way, is the beautiful flower from which Saffron is derived. The restaurant itself makes for a gorgeous backdrop, complementing the food on the table. Saffron gives you a romantic ambience with soft lighting and visually pleasing paintings on the walls. You may also enjoy lunch or dinner in their backyard garden.
As wonderful as the atmosphere is at Saffron, the food takes enjoyment to new heights. The kitchen at Saffron offers a tremendous menu mix of chicken, lamb, fish and vegetarian dishes. Their Tandoori chicken wings are like no wings you've eaten before.
Very unique in their blend of spices and zesty but not super hot at all. The Coconut chicken specialty is boneless chicken cooked with coconut, black pepper and curry leaves. Kadai Gosht is lamb blended with a flavorful array of bell peppers, onions and tomato topped with coriander and ginger.
If you usually skip bread with your meal, you may want to reconsider that decision at Saffron. They have 10 different bread selections on the menu, such as onion naan (soft bread stuffed with spiced onions), Kheema Naan (bread stuffed with ground lamb and spices and Tanoori Roti (whole wheat bread). The Saffron Sweet Pulao is basmati rice with fruit and nuts. Yes, it is as good as it sounds.
At Saffron, Happy Hour goes until 7:00 PM and they have beer, wine and sangria available. Book a most interesting culinary journey to India by calling Saffron at (718) 255-6310.
Namaste - Astoria, The Taj Mahal Of Indian Food
Namaste, located at 31-15 30th Avenue, prides itself on having the "Best Indian Halal Cuisine in Astoria." You would be well advised to stop in and taste for yourself. At Namaste customers always seem to leave the table happy and well fed. Similar to the Greek and Italian cultures, enjoying a meal in an Indian household is also an occasion to bond with family and friends. At Namaste, the chefs and waitresses want to re-create that cozy family when you dine with them. Their all-you-can-eat lunch buffet would be a great introduction to the excellent food served at Namaste. This succulent feast for the senses is available from 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM.
The decor is modern with very comfortable booths and spacious tables. There are bright green plants scattered around the restaurant and the overall atmosphere encourages diners to sit back and really savor their meal. This is the real deal... authentic Indian as well as Indo-Chinese dishes.
All Biryani is served with raita and you can choose from vegetable, goat, chicken and lamb. A featured vegan dish is the mixed vegetable curry. They do fish appetizers and entrees here such as fried crab cake, Tawa fish, shrimp Pakora as well as calamari. Open daily Sunday-Thursday from 11 AM-11 PM and Friday-Saturday 11 AM-11:30 PM, Namaste does delivery throughout the neighborhood. They even have a three-course combo (appetizer, entree, Naan bread and dessert) for delivery only. Just call Namaste at (718) 626-2783 and they will do the rest.
Gandhi - Astoria, Savory Bites - Delicious Desserts
Gandhi is one of the most celebrated names in the proud history of India. When you name your restaurant Gandhi, there's a lot to live up to. That being said, the chefs at Gandhi Restaurant have done a fine job of establishing a reputation throughout Queens as masters of Tandoori and Tikka cooking techniques. For superb Indian food, all roads lead to 34-14 30th Avenue and Gandhi Restaurant.
Specialties of the house include Tandoori chicken (chicken marinated in yogurt and ground spices, then roasted in an earthen oven), and lamb Boti Tikka. This dish features pieces of tender lamb marinated in vinegar and yogurt, rubbed with herbs and spices, then cooked over a char grill!
Not sure what to order, you can't go wrong with their mixed grill. It's a big plate suited for an appetite to match. The mixed grill consists of Tandoori chicken, Seekh kabob, lamb, chicken Tikka and Tandoori prawns. Gandhi restaurant also has many items on the menu that speak to the vegetable lover in us. Their Saag Aloo (creamed spinach, potatoes, herbs and spices) is a mouth-watering delight. The kitchen puts a great deal of effort into their soups. At Gandhi, a bowl of soup is not a culinary afterthought.
The home-style carrot and coriander soup is prepared with all natural ingredients. Mulligatawny is a staple, traditional soup enjoyed in most Indian households. It's made from lentils and tomatoes and is very delicately spiced. Gandhi also offers Balti dishes, which are popular in the Northwest frontier region of India. Balti beef or fish with mushrooms are served in a wok with naan bread and raita, which is cool whipped yogurt and cucumbers.
The chefs here turn simple rice from being just a side dish into something not to be missed. Using only the finest Indian basmati rice, they cook it with almonds, raisins, bay leaf, saffron and cardamon.
And here's why you should leave room for dessert. Gandhi's Kulfi or Mango ice cream is the perfect summertime treat. Their Kheer is old-school rice pudding, and you'll want seconds of it. the Gulab Jamun is a sweetly satisfying dessert with honeyed dumplings, cashew stuffing and rosewater. To accompany your meal, order up a glass of fresh mango juice or a Lassi (yogurt smoothie).
At Gandhi Restaurant, there's a fine dining yet relaxing vibe going on. But if you're stuck at home or too tired to go out, do take advantage of their first-rate delivery service. Just give Gandhi Restaurant a call at (718) 956-7555.
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