Taj

I do not know how many Indian restaurants have opened and closed in greater Portland since I started working here 36 years ago. Some are still around for reasons that escape me. When visitors from out of town ask about Indian restaurants I tell them that my fantasy is that a converted milk truck leaves Boston every Monday morning filled with a mother sauce that tastes very much likes curry powder. The truck backs up to the kitchens of the Indian restaurants in Portland and delivers the same sauce to all. The restaurants in turn serves all their dishes covered with this same sauce.  Gross exaggeration to be sure but I challenge anybody to visit the current Indian restaurants blindfolded and correctly pick the restaurant based on the taste of the food. Now good news. Taj, a new Indian restaurant in South Portland, seems to be an exciting change to the above scenario. The menu is the first thing that grabbed my eye. Clearly a variety of offerings not usually seen in current Indian restaurants. For example, Onion Mirchi Bajji (Hot Green Pepper mixed with Ckickpea Flour, fried, and stuffed with Onions in Lime Juicee), Uthappam-Onin/Masala/Veg (Indian Style Rice & Lentil Pancake with onions,potatoes,veg. chili & cilantro toppings) & Green Chicken (freshly chopped gongura with chicken in sauce). Do not confuse this latter dish with Thai Green Chicken Curry. Gongura is a green sorrel that is frequently used in South Indian cooking. A truly different taste.

Things I like in addition to the taste of the food. Menu is partially divided into South & North Indain recipes. Dishes are not watered down  because they are worried that people will find food too spicy. One interesting note. The menu describes the restaurant as serving Indian & Indo Chinese Cuisine. The term Indo Chinese  refers to dishes that are a fusion of Chinese and Indian. I think a more descriptive term is Chindian but it is commonly referred to as Indo Chinese. The menu does have a separate group of offerings labelled Indo Chinese which includes 3 offerings (fried rice, hakka noodles & taj szechwan rice). I tried the Taj Schezwan Rice and would not order it again. I look forward to trying the Hakka Noodles. Interestingly there are a number of other Chindian recipes that are not included as Indo Chinese on the menu (Gobi 65, Gobi Manchurian and Chicken Manchurian).. Give it a try if you like Indian. It is clear that the dishes are not from a converted milk truck.