I went on a gastronomic adventure the other day. I was
already eager to visit Royal of India in Park Point, not just because I enjoy
heading to the plaza anyway for music and books, or because it’s nice to see
the previously empty space opened up again. I just really like Indian food.
Royal of
India occupies a space where Asian fusion Wok With Me
Too was, and it was a shame that it closed down. The first thing I noticed
about Royal upon entering is that through the dining area is that it seems
warmer than before, the lighting had not changed much. The walls are repainted
a muted dandelion hue with merlot trim and accents. The new color scheme paired
with the mahogany-stained lacquered tables contribute to the room feeling dark
and cozy, though the dining area is as expansive and plentiful as it was
before. And the vibe of the place just feels brighter, because owners Nobin and Anisha Chuhan ensure that someone greets you at the door
immediately, so everyone instantly feels like they are welcome.
Nobin started me with some papadum
(oven baked flat flour chips) ($1) with tamarind and mint chutneys and soon
returned with vegetable samosas ($2.99). I tried my best to not devour all of
these appetizers at once. After all, I had more entrees to sample. Alas, they
were so good, and my will was weak. The papadum is
light in texture, yet it is full of flavor, not just salty. Though deep fried,
the vegetable samosas did not bleed oil on anything they touched. They were
packed with vegetables, and dipping them in the tamarind chutney gave them a
sweet-hot taste that I’ll yearn for until the next time I visit.
Next, Anisha brought out something I’d never seen in an Indian restaurant:
chicken momo ($9.99; vegetable momo
are also available). These are a set of six steamed dumplings stuffed with Nepali-seasoned
chicken, and served with a spicy tomato sesame sauce. The dumplings and the
sauce are both Anisha’s own recipe. The chicken
inside was so juicy, it nearly melted in my mouth. Again, I attempted to not
eat all of them at once, and again, I consumed all of them.
Finally, Nobin provided me with three standard Indian restauarant dishes: aloo gobi ($10.99), palak paneer
($11.99), and chicken makhani ($12.99). The aloo gobi is a cauliflower potato
medley sautéed with garlic, tomato, ginger, and other spices. Palak paneer includes cubed cheese mixed in a sautéed
spinach and onion cream sauce. Chicken makhani is
cubed chicken breasts in a sweet, creamy tomato sauce. All of these were
accompanied with basmati rice and house-made garlic naan ($2.99).
I will admit
that I ate too much. I inhaled nearly all of the food I ordered, not out of
gluttony, but out of enjoying the taste of everything put before me. The food
here is so good, it was difficult to leave some to take home. Okay, I may be a
little bit gluttonous.
Yes, there
are quite a few Indian restaurants in Henrietta, including the only
local fast-casual Indian venue that I know about. They do have similar staple menu
options that Royal of India offers. But the chicken and vegetable momo, along with a Nepali-spiced chicken or vegetable chow mein and thukpa (a boiled noodle
soup with Indian spices), makes them stand out. Their menu is expansive, almost
intimidating.
Fortunately,
if you wish to sample a variety of things at one time, Royal of India offers a
weekday lunch buffet from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. ($10.99), a larger weekend lunch
buffet ($11.99), and a special Wednesday dinner buffet ($12.99). The buffet
contents always rotate, so you can feasibly sample everything on the menu if
you frequent the place. And there are always gluten-free, vegetarian, and vegan
options available. You, too, can eat like I did, but perhaps not all at once
like I did.
This article appears in Feb 27 – Mar 5, 2019.
