By Brian Griffin
For one reason or another, Indian food has not caught on in the United States in the way that other world cuisines have. One reason is perhaps that aesthetics are important when it comes to not only choosing what we are going to eat, but also how much we are willing to pay for it. I recognized a few years ago that I had never really explored Indian food in any concerted way, and I decided to give a curry a shot in the kitchen. I searched for some pictures of recipes to find the one that would have the most impact on Instagram when I was finished. Instagram is at least half of my motivation for cooking. I searched for a while, and I couldn’t really find any that were particularly impactful. They were just pictures of mush and bread. They looked like prison food. How hard could this be?
What I discovered when I got into the kitchen, however, was that the simple appearance of the dishes disguises not only their difficulty, but also a truly intriguing set of flavor combinations.
In Western cuisine, we tend to use ingredients that overlap in their flavor profiles. Indian cuisine tends to do just the opposite. By combining flavors that rub up against each other in a completely different way than what we usually find. The very thing that makes Indian food so gripping is what has led to a slow integration into American culture.
Well, that and the Instagram problem, probably. What filter makes green on green look good? Lark? Juno? Hudson?
We started with the samosa with chana and a mint chutney. The samosa was very good, but the chana was excellent. I have a major soft spot for chickpeas. I say that with some reservation, because I told a British guy named Jim that I was really into hummus a few months ago and he said “how avant garde” in the most condescending way that I could have ever imagined. That damaged me.
Anyway, the menu is not long, which is generally a great sign. That tells me that they do a few things, and that they do them well. The menu contained words like “korma’stache” and “aloo gobi.” I am guessing that Scrabble is a totally different kind of game in India. We just dipped our toes in a little bit ordered the house curry, the butter chicken and the garlic naan.
Butter Chicken
house curry
It was all outstanding. Indian food is some of the most interesting food in the world, and to have it prepared with such skill in Pasco is a distinct pleasure. I could probably make up reasons all day for why Indian food isn’t as popular as I believe that it should be in the United States. The fact is that it lags behind Mexican and Chinese cuisines in some kind of tragic and foolish misunderstanding of how excellent it can be. If you have yet to venture into Indian food, Love Curry is a great place to start. I will undoubtedly be returning soon to get a little bit more adventurous with my selections. Perhaps some palak paneer, or dal makhani.
And then I’ll find Jim to see if I can get him to respect me.
VIBE notes: Best Indian we have found in the Tri-Cities. That is saying a lot as there were 2 of us at this meal & one is a self-proclaimed ‘Indian Food Fanatic’. 2. They have a full on ‘Naan’ Menu. How bad@ss is that?! They carry wine & craft brews. Wine you will have to ask which wineries but mostly are WA wines so how bad can they be?! 3. They have a spice store next door, a little type Indian grocery. The restaurant is located on Rd 68 next door to Yokes. Website w/ restaurant & grocery info here: http://lovecurrycuisine.co/ For menu, all food pics for Love Curry on Cork & Fork click here: https://www.facebook.com/pg/tricitycorkfork/photos/?tab=album&album_id=1684074445009468
