Taj Mahal

Daal Baati Churma, Aloo Matar, Paneer Tikka Masala – all of these are common Indian dishes that may seem intimidating to the uninitiated ethnic diner. Most people aren’t comfortable with jumping into a new cuisine without being able to pronounce the meal they are about to eat. But, I can assure you, exploring Indian cuisine is a flavorful adventure.

Indian food has a 5,000 year-long history and has influenced cuisines across the world, especially in Southeast Asia and the Caribbean. Using spices like ginger, coriander, cardamom, tamarind, and various herbs, fruits, and vegetables – Indian flavors are bold and sometimes pack quite a bit of heat. It’s also a wonderful cuisine to embrace if you are vegetarian, since it’s a wide-spread practice in the region.

Taj Mahal restaurant has been serving authentic Indian dishes to Fort Collins since 1996. Owner Balwinder Singh chose our city over Boulder and Denver because of our diversified community and quiet restaurant scene (although, it’s not so quiet now in 2012). 16 years is a long time for a restaurant in any community, and Fort Collins has certainly enjoyed what Taj Mahal has to offer. When you walk in the restaurant on Oak Street, right there by the front door is a wall of awards and accolades for their cuisine.

I was joined for the lunch buffet with Betsy from MenuTrinfo one sunny afternoon. The lunch buffet is simple enough – you wait to be seated at a table, then you are free to pile your plate high with delicious scoops of anything and everything at the buffet line. We were given a basket of fresh naan, and then made my way to the line.

I had:

• vegetable samosa – a crispy deep-fried pastry filled with mashed potatoes and peas
• tandoori chicken – chicken marinated with spices and roasted in an earthware pot
• vegetable korma – mixed vegetables cooked in cream, nuts, and spices
• chicken curry – chicken cooked in curry spices, onion, garlic, ginger, and tomato
• dal saag – lentils cooked with spinach and spices
• Gulab Jamun – milk balls in syrup and rose water
• Gajjar Halwa – a carrot pudding with raisins and nuts

I was pleasantly surprised by how tasty the buffet line was, even though the spices were mild and tame for Indian standards. Everything had a muted slow-roasted consistency that you’d find in stews without any dish particularly popping with intense flavor. The vegetable korma was rich with whole firm chunks of fresh vegetables, like cauliflower. The tandoori chicken had a nice charcoal essence along with its bright red color (that is coming from food coloring rather than imported tandoori paste). I also enjoyed the gulab jamun balls that were basically doughnut holes soaked in a super sweet syrup. The rest of the items on the line were pretty average in taste and quality.

I came back again for dinner with my friend, Ken. The difference between lunch and dinner is definitely like night and day. The feast is plentiful and the flavors are adjusted to your preferred spice level.

We started with an appetizer of papadam  – a crispy thin cracker. It was served with a variety of condiments, like tamarind sauce. We also ordered a dish of alo chaat – potatoes tossed with spices, tamarind chutney, and lemon juice.

The alo chaat was loaded with spicy flavor, covering the slightly under-cooked, firm potato chunks, and large slices of tomatoes. It was a refreshingly cold dish that I could imagine eating during a picnic in the park.

Ken ordered a cup of Masala Chai – a mix of robust spices and herbs that rival many other chai options in Fort Collins. With this, you are allowed up to two free re-fills, which I thought was particularly generous in the first place.

For Ken’s main dish, he ordered the Vegetarian Thali – a combination dinner for one that could have easily fed two. It came with a vegetable samosa, dal (lentil stew), vegetable korma, sagg (spinach puree), paneer (homemade cheese), rice, raita (yogurt sauce), bread, and dessert.

This amount of food was outrageous. Served on a silver segmented plate, it took up a large portion of space at the table. Between his dish, our appetizers, drinks, and my entree, it looked like quite the dinner feast! He ordered his spice level at a very mild intensity, and we weren’t particularly impressed with the flavor. It seems like hot is the only way to go here.

For my entree, I ordered the lamb kashmiri – lamb cooked with mushrooms, onions, tomatoes and spices. I ordered it at a medium level of spice. This was quite spicy, even at a moderate level, which was great. However, the lamb was tough and overcooked, and not particularly appealing. The thick tomato sauce didn’t do much to the dish other than cover up the cubes of meat.

The dessert served was kheer – a rice pudding with almonds and raisins. Although, ours came without almonds or raisins.  I was uninspired from this dessert just as much as the other dishes we ate. It was alright, but it was nothing spectacular; just regular rice pudding.

Taj Mahal has been spicing things up for 16 years in Fort Collins, but I’m beginning to think they could step it up a bit more. This was average Indian food, safe for those testing the waters of Indian flavors for the first time, but it’s nothing I’d say that really represents what the cuisine is capable of. Lunch and dinner are two completely different experiences, and while the spice is more at dinner, I actually prefer the lunch buffet. Many people in Fort Collins are fans of Taj Mahal, but there are better Indian options as far as I’m concerned.

Taj Mahal
148 West Oak Street
(970) 493-1105
www.tajmahalfortcollins.com

Kid-Friendly? It is! They have some great authentic dishes for the kids, and don’t offer pizza or hot dogs.

Parking: Limited parking on Oak Street. Nearest garage is on Mason, and open lot on Remmington.

Healthy Options? Many vegetarian dishes, a few gluten-free (but not labeled).

Budget-Friendly? Most dishes are between $10-$15

Recent Health Inspection: Unavailable (site is not functional at this time)