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Where the twain meet

Masala is Indian, British and surprisingly good
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By Dave Faries
Staff Writer, The Prague Post
December 5th, 2007 issue

VLADIMÍR WEISS/THE PRAGUE POST
The mixed tandoori platter provides guests with a sample of northern India's cooking.
VLADIMÍR WEISS/THE PRAGUE POST
It's a small room, after all: Masala's dining space.
Masala

Mánesova 13
Prague 2–Vinohrady
Tel. 222 251 601
Open daily 11 a.m.–11 p.m.

Food **
Service **
Atmosphere **
Overall **

FROM THE MENU

Naan 24 Kč
Lentil soup 36 Kč
Vegetable pakora 60 Kč
Samosa 45 Kč
Vegetarian biryani 108 Kč
Chicken vindaloo 135 Kč
Chicken madras 119 Kč
Lamb sagwaala 180 Kč
Rogan josh 195 Kč
Kulfi 45 Kč

Sometimes Masala’s cooking seems as Indian as a Saturday afternoon at Old Trafford.
The chicken vindaloo, for example, ditches the balance of sweet, sour and spicy tastes in favor of a howling, maniacal torch, just as it would in jolly old England. Oh, your first bite may reveal hints of tartness and caramelized sugars. But the chili is single-minded of purpose, intent on dealing out some level-orange punishment — or at least scorching other ingredients until they limp away to distance havens. The menu also references more obvious British adaptations, such as tikka masala.
At the same time, however, the Vinohrady restaurant/take-away preserves dense, intricate flavors familiar on the Subcontinent. Ginger, fresh coriander and an array of warm spices back up a pale-green lentil broth. After pricking, lightly, different areas of the palate, the seasoning converges on point where warmth, comfort and down-to-earthiness reside. Lassi, whether sweet, salty or fruity, is a tangy, tainted rush of frothy yogurt. The cool, almost savory flavor and curious, pasty mouthfeel of kulfi, an Indian dessert, represents a sendoff, calling up the memory of cumin, turmeric and cardamom even as they depart.
So, in many ways, the popular little 25-seat hideaway finds itself trapped between two worlds. In movie-speak, it’s Bollywood meets the balti houses of Manchester and Birmingham.
Fortunately, Masala’s kitchen is unconcerned with the demands of another world: the one it currently occupies.
Restaurants that beg for the British expat trade while sympathizing with the local fear of hot and spicy cuisine merely agitate patrons brought up on Dave Lister–like diets of lager and vindaloo. Himalaya, Taj Mahal and other institutions long ago tamed their offerings to suit a broader market — and pay the price in word-on-the-street jibes.
But many of Masala’s dishes pack serious (and welcome) heat. Others show off the regional character of native recipes, plunging through strata of cloves and nutmeg, ghee, mustard and so on.
The distinct bitterness of fenugreek rides above pureed spinach, forming the backdrop for lamb sagwaala, a favorite from northern India — in my mind a Kashmiri dish, but labeled Punjabi on the menu. More notably sour and brackish, the kari struggles to contain fiery elements. The chili escapes long enough to flirt with your palate, yet cannot nudge competitors out of the way.
Flavors bristle and shove — spicy, tart and even the gamey undertone of meat, milling in the same space.
Chicken madras is intense, but not overly simplistic. Flames blast from both capsaicin and chunks of fresh ginger — more genteel, but sharp and bitter when pushed. The elements band together, dealing out a relentless one-two pummeling, cheered on by a combination of grounded seasoning and a vinegary bite, barely cooled by coconut and white meat.
The unusual reminder of India’s diasporic culinary history — Western adaptations sharing popularity with authentic preparations — along with the cozy, casual dining area, explain the restaurant’s popularity. It’s nigh-well impossible to find walk-in seating on many nights.
Masala’s menu lists breads and meat cooked in tandoor ovens, rogan josh and other global attractions, plus a few nods to everyday fare such as butter chicken and, of course, several vegetarian entries.
The vegetable biryani is like an entire garden tossed with basmati rice. Bright herbs and a few pungent seeds turn a simple bowl into something minty and fresh, sweet with carrots and peas, broken by sudden, fragrant spikes and staccato blasts of bitterness. This unruly mix is held together by the presence of garam masala, the usual gritty, musty background of common spices, as well as a patina of oil.
For starters, a dusting of dry seasoning sparks at least some interest in otherwise mundane vegetable pakora. Thick chick-pea batter douses much of the natural flavors inside. Samosas packed with dull, tacky potatoes, are saved by a subtle undercurrent of husky spice and bright punctuations of sweet peas.
But these are the least impressive of Masala’s offerings. On the whole, it’s a worthy place, rivaling Tandoor for the attention of whatever masses yearn for a reminder of flavors from the East … or West.
Make the trip.

Dave Faries can be reached at dfaries@praguepost.com


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