Whenever my family and I try to decide where to eat, we seem to regularly gravitate towards places that offer Indian food. Even though as Indians we eat it just about every day at home, there’s comfort in familiarity. It’s not that we don’t like trying new foods. It’s just that sometimes we don’t feel very adventurous, especially after a long and tiring day at a park, a shopping centre, or a touristic spot. Not only that, but at Indian restaurants here in Beijing we rarely have trouble communicating what we want to order, and we don’t have to worry about getting a dish with meat in it when we specifically ask for vegetarian food. So, hopefully, our love for Indian restaurants is understandable. The following are some restaurants that we visit often.
Indian Kitchen
This is probably one of my all time favorite restaurants in Beijing, because the food is absolutely delicious! But because of the impressive food, the service might not always be fast. Weekend nights are especially hectic, as this is a popular place for Indian tourists. Nevertheless, if you aren’t in a rush to eat, Indian Kitchen is a great place to dine.
The decor is beautiful, especially if you sit at the edge of the restaurant. The small chandeliers glow dimly, giving a heavenly feel, and the wallpapers have gorgeous patterns with a pearly shine. (I have taken multiple pictures of the wallpaper with my phone).
On weekdays, you can indulge in a buffet if you are indecisive about what to order off the menu. But if you are ordering, there’s a pretty diverse menu. For starters, the platter is an excellent choice and it’s fit for sharing. Just hearing the waiter bring the sizzling platter to our table makes my mouth water. For the main course, I love to eat the biryani (though there is more ginger in it than I like). It’s a rice dish that comes with an onion raita salad. At the end, even if you don’t order dessert, you are offered a complementary plate of fruits.
- 2 Sanlitun North Alley, Chaoyang
Punjabi Restaurant
Conveniently located at Lucky Street, this place is hard to miss if you’re scouting for restaurants. The food items are fairly cheap, but the portions are smaller than those at the other restaurants on this list. But the good thing about this is that you get to taste more food. The service is also quick.
The tables near the window offer a nice view of Solana and Lucky Street. The walls are decorated with famous Indian figures and monuments, like the Taj Mahal. The tables are also quite attractive, as they have different kinds of spices and lentils sitting underneath the glass. Upbeat Punjabi music plays in the background.
Each menu item has an accompanying picture, which gives guests a better idea of what each dish is. For starters, I enjoy eating subzi pakora (vegetable fritters). If you feel daring, eat the fried chilies that come with it! For the main course, the mushroom masala goes well with the biryani. Also worth trying are the Chinese food dishes that are served with an Indian twist: fried rice, noodles, and spring rolls.
- C8, Lucky Street, Chaoyang Gongyuan Rd, Chaoyang District.
Ganges
The decorations here are simple but elegant, creating a relaxing atmosphere. While you order, you get a refreshing glass of lemon water and you can nibble on some small fried Indian snacks, which you get for free. I am a big fan of paneer (also known as cottage cheese), so it’s not a surprise that I would recommend the sizzling paneer tikka as an appetizer. I like pouring the accompanying green chutney onto the paneer cubes before eating them. For the main course, definitely worth a try is the Palak Paneer, a creamy spinach curry with pieces of firm cottage cheese. Try this curry with the Garlic Naan, a chewy Indian flat bread flavored with chopped garlic. This restaurant has multiple locations; more information can be found on the restaurant’s website.
- 2F-202 Building 1, Shimao Dept. Store, 13 Gongrentiyuchang Bei Lu, Chaoyang District.
- 2nd Floor, 28 Dongzhimen Wai Dajie, Chaoyang District.
- 107, Basement 1, The Place, 9 Guanghua Lu, Chaoyang District.
- 6F 02-01 U-Center, 28 Chengfu Lu, Wudaoko.
Taj Pavillion
The beautiful wood carvings immediately caught my attention when we walked in. A bit pricy for China, but the friendly staff and the food with incredible texture make the experience worthwhile. Onion bajhi (sliced onions covered with chickpea flour batter and then deep fried) is a tasty appetizer well worth trying. The set lunches are perfect for anyone who is keen about trying a variety of foods, but there plenty of menu options as well. Butter naans, crisp and well-made, with aloo gobi mutter (cubed potatoes, cauliflower pieces, and green peas flavored with spices and served semi-dry) make a great combination. For dessert, the gajjar ka halwa (made from carrots cooked in milk) is a delicious choice. This restaurant has multiple locations.
- 3F, Holiday Inn Lido Place, 6 Jiangtai Lu
- Europlaza, 3rd Floor, Shunyi
- China Overseas Plaza North Tower 2nd floor, L2-03 No.8 Guanghua Dong li
photos: indiankitchentexas.com www.thebeijinger.com http://www.petaasia.com/
3 Comments
Well, its actually surprising to see few restaurants named here as best Indian restaurants. I have been few times to Punjabi restaurant and couple of branches of Ganges as well, and I as well as my friends felt that these 2 have below average Indian food and ambiance.
Have tried both Veg and non Veg food at these places, and they are bland, and the taste is no where close to Indian. They have foods with Indian names, but the taste is no where close to Indian. Also, the environment and ambiance is just average.
Infact I feel, these type of restaurants are just giving bad reputation to Indian food.
I agree with Abhishek, Indian food in Beijing is overpriced and isn’t impressive. Hong Kong offers better selection of restaurants alongside better prices. Maybe it is in higher demand there, but it seemed strange as HK is a much more expensive place to live and operate a business.
But even HK doesn’t compare with Seattle, or you know… India haha.
Wonderfully written Article. I really want to appreciate you for the way you have written this article. I have never traveled to China or Hong Kong. but whenever I will get an opportunity I will go there and surely taste the Indian food.