A few days ago a friend of mine wanted to go eat Indian food. Of course, assuming that I am an expert, he dragged me along with him. Little did he know that I am an expert of Indian food made in India. Unbelievably, the Indian food in U.S.A is a stark variation from the original. But I went along with him anyway, if not for anything just to eat something spicy for a change. We decided to try out Rasoi. It is famed to be owned by the Sanjiv Dhar, the chef who started the popular Kabob and Curry on Thayer Street, Providence.
The restaurant itself is not particularly easy to find. It is on a corner street and quite easily missed without the aid of a GPS navigator. There is nothing impressive about the outdoor décor but the availability of ample parking space is a welcome. Upon walking inside, the familiar smells of coriander, turmeric and chili washed over me beckoning me to go inside. I surrendered, completely. Earthy hues of browns and reds stain the walls offering a rustic appeal. The bar is at the center of the room with sea blue tiles offering diners the option of enjoying their meal at the island bar. The plain white tables and the simple arrangement were easily forgettable.
The menu was large with a great deal of variety. The appetizers started out with the regular chicken tikka, samosas and idli sambar but I was very surprised to see chili duck wings and tomato soup. I was immediately wondering which part of India served soup. India is a very hot country all year round. Indians are not prone to enjoying soup during any time of the day. Chili duck wings were unpredicted as duck is not something that is consumed in India. In South India, they serve something called Bombay Dak (pronounced duck), which people thought was the bird but it is actually a lizard fish, usually served battered and fried owing to its over powering stench. There is much speculation as to where the name Dak came from but it is belived by most that it originated during the British rule and Dak is a Bengali word that means mail. People think that since the fish used to be transported they word Dak was used. This story is of course up for debate.
The rest of the menu is very typically North Indian. Looking at their menu, I could tell that the food would taste nothing like Indian food but a watered-down deviation from where it originally comes from. Entrees are classified into meat categories like chicken, seafood or lamb. They do have a large selection of stuffed naans like cilantro, cheese, garlic, onion or even pesto.
The non-vegetarian thali is a perfect option for a college student who would like to try a big selection without paying too much. The saag paneer is creamy with a hint of chili powder tickling the back of the throat. The chicken tikka was unusually sweet and tasted too much of tomatoes unlike the original, which is spicy and tangy. The brownish dull lamb curry was not exciting at all. It did not have any distinct flavor but the latent memory of ground coriander attempting to peep through the sauce. The garlic shrimp was perfectly cooked and the pungent garlic complemented the baby shrimp.
My friend tried the lamb pasanda with basmati rice. The menu beautifully described it as being cooked in mint, cilantro and chili and finished with cream and cashew. The resulting lamb was velvety and smooth with a subtle sweet taste. The mint, cilantro and chili had however, gone astray.
The meal in totality was disappointing. It was not completely authentic but the service was very good. Our server was paying particular attention to us as well as all those around us. All in all, Rasoi is a good restaurant, which serves good food but not good Indian food.
Rasoi
727 East Avenue Pawtucket, RI 02860
Phone: 401-728-5500
10 minutes by car from Harbor side campus of Johnson & Wales University
Public Transport: Bus Number 99 and 3
Average Price for 2 people: $ 35
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