North Bay Biz Review
by Julie Fadda Eastman
February 2006

"I had a crazy bug!" was owner Anil Bembey's answer when I asked what made him decide to open a restaurant. Well, if I ever catch a "crazy bug," I want it to be just like Anil's. His Kabab & Curry House is outstanding. Every tiny detail - from the hand-made wooden furniture, bar and artwork (all made in India specifically for this restaurant) to the fresh spices that are ground in-house (wow!) - is a testament to a venture of the heart.

The space is a blend of rich red, yellow and rose-colored hues. The upstairs banquet room can accommodate up to 25 people and has its own bar. A balcony level above the main dining room holds several more tables and a performance space where a flutist and a tabla (hand drum) player perform on Friday and Saturday nights. The colorful blown-glass lamps add a bejeweled touch.

But the food is the main attraction. My friend Kim and I sat in one of several booths that sit opposite the bar. The menu has more than 90 items and hails choices from all over India. Everything is numbered and has phonetic spellings and detailed descriptions. After careful consideration and some welcomed help from our server Daniel, we made our choices.

We began the meal with the subz samosas, which are stuffed, fried turnovers. Daniel suggested a side of cucumber raita, which is a traditional Indian sauce made of diced cucumber, onion and tomato in cumin and mint-flavored yogurt.

Next came our entrées, which were served along with our choices of basmati rice and a basket of fresh-made garlic naan (Indian flatbread). The seekh kabab peshawri (minced lamb with onion, cilantro, green chili and spices) literally came out sizzling. The skewers had been removed (a nice touch) and the lamb was placed on lightly sautéed white onions with freshly chopped cucumber, carrots, peppers, green onions and zucchini. We'd ordered our food "medium spicy" (after considering various spice levels), and chef Ravi Rathore hit everything just right.

Next came the jhinga navratni, which were five jumbo shrimp sautéed with garlic and mango sauce and served with sliced nuts. The sauce was sweet, spicy, thick and rich while the nuts offered a welcome texture. It was served in a small, silver pot and was likely our favorite dish of the evening (we even heard a waiter behind us telling his table that it was one of his favorites, too).

Last was the kadai paneer, which is fried cottage cheese cubes (think tofu, but more dense) with tomato, bell peppers, onion and apricots. This was certainly the spiciest (hottest) item we chose, although the onions were sweet and a nice twist.

For dessert we had the gulab jamun, which are reduced and thickened deep-fried milk solids soaked in rose water-flavored, light syrup. It was as sweet as my aunt Bobbi's amazing rum cake. We also had the mango badam kajoo ice cream, which is a dense Indian reduced-milk creation. Um, wow. Might just be the best I've ever tasted. I seriously wanted to take home a gallon. Guess I'll just have to head back to the Kabab & Curry House the next time I get a craving. Oh well, twist my arm.