62 PUNCHMAGAZINE.COM Curry over to these incredible Indian restaurants. the beat on your eats to nalli nihari, tender lamb shank bathed in a rich and earthy sauce. It also offers some of the tenderest chicken you’re likely to encounter, so pick something with poultry. We recommend the succulent lahsooni chicken tikka, elegantly spiced and bursting with umami. Finish with a fusion cheesecake incorporating pockets of gulab jamun (fried dough) and a tart berry jam. 2397 Broadway. Open daily. tilak indian and nepalese cuisine MENLO PARK An unassuming gem tucked into downtown Menlo Park, Tilak is the real deal, offering guests large portions and demonstrating a true mastery of spices. (A word to the wise: if you ask for “medium,” expect to sweat a little bit.) If you can take the heat, order the bright red vindaloo, a delightfully complex curry with your choice of chicken or lamb. If you’re seeking something comfortingly familiar, you’ll appreciate the butter chicken in a classically creamy tomato-based sauce. namaste indian cuisine PALO ALTO Namaste Indian Cuisine prides itself on giving traditional dishes contemporary twists. According to the restaurant, “Each dish is a page in our book, each ingredient, a carefully chosen word, coming together to tell a story that’s both old and new.” Meateaters can choose from plenty of kebabs and curries to satisfy, but vegans aren’t treated as an afterthought here. Diners rave about the eggplant with roasted peanuts and curry leaves, and oyster mushrooms with spices, both cloaked in a rich coconut milk. Another meatless specialty is the gobi manchurian (crisped cauliflower with onion and bell pepper tossed in a spicy sauce). 447 California Avenue. Open daily. broadway masala REDWOOD CITY Living up to its name, Broadway Masala is a real showstopper. For the opening act, try the avocado bhel, a textured tower of spiced potato, tamarind-glazed puffed rice and fresh avocado that tumbles satisfyingly when you dig in with your fork. As for entrees, it’s hard to go wrong with the restaurant’s medley of flavors from the biriyani, an aromatic rice dish, {food coloring} Venture over to the Nepalese side of the menu for juicy momo dumplings. Enjoy an after-dinner stroll along Santa Cruz Avenue, where you can grab a coffee at Cafe Borrone and peruse the book selection at Kepler’s— or swing by Penzeys Spices to stock up on cumin, cloves and cardamom to cook up something tasty back home. 683 Santa Cruz Avenue. Open daily. PPHHOOTTOOGRAPHY COURTESYYOOFF: :BFRROIAEDNWDASYOMFABSRAOLA DWAY MASALA words by JOHANNA HARLOW
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