When you first set foot in New Delhi Indian Restaurant, delicious aromas from the clay oven merge with an atmosphere that is at once relaxing and lively. Here, the feeling is casual good fun mixed with fine Indian culinary delights.
Rick, the General Manager, notes his restaurant is a haven for both college kids and families from around Philly. Not only does New Delhi boast some of the best Indian cuisine in University City, it also exudes a cosmopolitan ambience matched only by its sizzling tandoori and shrimp pakoras.
I started off with a mango lassi (Indian smoothie, $2.75) to cool off on a particularly hot evening. A bit sweet but ultimately refreshing, I would recommend the lassis to all diners, mostly because it has a quite natural use in washing down good portions of buttered naan (Indian clay oven bread) and spiced subzees (multi-vegetable or meat dishes).
Appetizers include an order of shrimp pakoras, or fried shrimp in batter sauce ($6.95), with sweet and spicy chutneys, or dips. Portions were of good size and service was quick.
For the main entrees (and the whole meal if preferred), you can substitute the lunch or dinner buffet. It's an ample selection of some of New Delhi's marquee preparations, including various appetizers, plain naan, vegetarian and non-vegetarian subzees (including one of my favorites, hot tandoori chicken), and a salad and spice bar.
The buffet is probably the best way to go, for either lunch or dinner. Nevertheless, to see if there were any hidden specialities, I looked through the menu and decided upon the palak paneer (cheese in spinach subzee, $8.95), garlic nan ($2.95), fresh dal ($7.95), and gobi (cauliflower subzee, $8.95).
Each dish was well-prepared, yet maybe a little less spicy than expected. Far from bland however, everything was hot and fresh and reminiscent of classical Indian, home-style cooking.
Service was quick and congenial, and the management is a lot of fun to talk to. The mirror lining one whole side of the restaurant is a little odd, and I would think that some music could have helped the homely, yet cosmopolitan, feel.
However, New Delhi was fulfilling in every respect. Its culinary style is traditional and tasty; its ambience at once homely and fun. And if the nan and palak paneer have not filled you up yet, go for some mango ice cream or my personal favorite, gulab jamun (soft milk balls in honey sauce, a favorite among Indians). To boot, desert is included in the buffet.
