The Dhaba has Indian food fit for kings and Punjabi truck drivers

Comments (0) By Michele Laudig Thursday, Aug 21 2008

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Also from the tandoor, I sampled the nawabi murg tikke, a platter of yogurt-marinated boneless chicken that was succulent and mildly spicy. Paired with a heap of sabji biryani — a fragrant vegetable rice dish studded with raisins — it was enough to feed two people. The biryani also went well with other dishes, as a means of slurping up rich sauces.

Numberdar saag was as good for its spicy spinach paste as for the moist chunks of chicken in it. Dhaba machi tari consisted of a lip-smacking, deep golden curry filled with silky pieces of fresh sole. And gosht rogan josh, a Kashmiri specialty, featured tender pieces of boneless lamb. Long after I'd plucked the meat out of it, I couldn't stop myself from scooping up more of the decadent, buttery sauce with pieces of bread. Made with dried red chiles and yogurt, it was a deep, ruddy brown, with a flavor just as intense.

Jackie Mercandetti

Currying favor: Executive chef Talwinder Dhaliwal (right) and chef Keshav Kandel show off some of the The Dhaba's Punjabi specialties.

Location Info

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The Dhaba

1872 E. Apache Blvd.
Tempe, AZ 85281

Category: Restaurant > Indian

Region: Tempe

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Details

Mango lassi: $3
Chili naan: $3
Hariyali paneer tikka: $8
Gosht rogan josh: $10
480-446-2824, »web link
Hours: Daily, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

The Dhaba, 1872 East Apache Boulevard, Tempe

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Once the naan and biryani had seemingly expanded in my stomach, I still needed a taste of something cooling and sweet. Punjabi ice cream wasn't available, unfortunately, so I went with badami sevian kheer instead. This was a much lighter version of rice pudding than I've had in a while, with sliced almonds, cardamom, and squiggles of Indian vermicelli in a sweet, milky soup.

Rasmalai, a Punjabi dessert made with milk and wheat flour, was like chunky, slightly sweet ricotta, with a faint pistachio perfume. Meanwhile, gajrela, described as carrot fudge on the menu, wasn't as smooth as real fudge, but it was still just as sweet, a dense confection made with milk and puréed carrots, raisins, and cashews.

Though the desserts were a bit of an acquired taste, I still enjoyed them, especially since my taste buds needed a break from the curry.

Not to mention, I was getting in touch with my inner Punjabi truck driver.