sususumoti
A new Indian curry restaurant has opened near the southeast exit of Shinjuku Station. When I see an Indian curry restaurant, I always check the lunch curry options first. I saw Saag Paneer for the first time, which is usually on the à la carte menu but not on the lunch menu. As I climbed the stairs, I could hear a cheerful voice saying "Welcome!" even before entering the restaurant. The friendly Indian (or Nepalese?) staff greeted me. There was only one person in charge of the dining area, with 2-3 people in the kitchen. I ordered the C set with three types of curry (990 yen): Saag Paneer, Mutton, and I hesitated for a moment before choosing Saag Chicken, but the staff gently advised me, "It's the same taste..." So I went with Butter Chicken instead. It's rare to have Butter Chicken included in the lunch menu at no extra cost. I chose all the curries to be of medium spiciness. For my drink, I had Mango Lassi. They don't have Iced Chai on the menu, but they will make it if you ask. The lunchtime dessert service coupon attached to the store flyer allows you to choose a dessert or a second drink after your meal regardless of the coupon. A great service, I wonder if it's for a limited time? The restaurant seems to be trying various things since it just opened. Indian curry restaurants in Japan tend to be quite similar, so I hope they continue to stand out with their unique offerings. The drink and salad were very standard in content and taste. The Mango Lassi seemed to be stored already mixed. Similarly, the Iced Chai seemed to be stored chilled. The Saag Paneer had large chunks of cheese and melted cheese on top. The taste was different for me, with a strong garlic flavor. I had only tried Saag Paneer once at a restaurant in Varanasi for tourists, so I'm not sure what's considered normal. Paneer is a non-melting cheese, and this one had a softer, crumbly texture. The Butter Chicken was different from what I had tried before, where it had a slightly sweet and sour taste like raisins, but here it was delicious and not too sweet. It wasn't spicy at all, even though it wasn't mild. The large chunks of chicken were actually Chicken Tikka, crispy and flavorful. The Mutton curry had the most normal taste. The meat was not as tender as the chicken, but it required a lot of chewing. Personally, I didn't mind it, but it might be a bit too tough for some. Of the three curries, the Saag Paneer was the spiciest (still considered "medium"), while the other two were on the sweeter side. I think I liked the Mutton curry the most. The Naan was thick and chewy. The rice was long-grain. At first, I focused on eating the Naan without touching the rice, and when asked if I wanted more, I barely managed to finish the half-size Naan, as I had become very full from the rice. Carbs on carbs really hit you hard. I couldn't even finish 1/3 of the half-size Naan and had to take it home. I'm sorry for ordering more and leaving it. Maybe I have a separate stomach for dessert? The dessert was ice cream, which was much appreciated. I received a point card at the checkout. After 15 visits, I can get a free lunch or 2 free draft beers during dinner. I was so full from overeating that I felt uncomfortable until the evening. I should stop ordering extra Naan or getting extra noodles. I hope they remember this for my next visit.