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December 1st, 2008
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A commitment to quality

Tandoor serves up the best of the West's version of East
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By Dave Faries
Staff Writer, The Prague Post
October 1st, 2008 issue

Tandoor


Konecchlumského 7
Prague 6-Břevnov
Tel. 775 325 766
Open Mon.-Fri. 11 a.m.-11 p.m., Sat. noon-11 p.m., Sun. 5 p.m.-11 p.m.

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

VLADIMÍR WEISS/THE PRAGUE POST
The atmosphere is informal but the food is authentic and good.
FROM THE MENU



Pakora 55 Kč
Chicken korma 145 Kč
Chicken bhuna 135 Kč
Lamb Jal frezi 165 Kč
Chicken madras 125 Kč
Pilao rice 40 Kč

Culinary fortune smiles on those living near Břevnov Monastery.
Perhaps it’s not the same broad, gleaming grin that bestows so many dining options on residents of Prague’s historic center. But with the hearty Czech meals served at Klášterní šenk and one of the top two Indian restaurants — Tandoor — standing nearby, it outshines many other parts of the city.
That said, I have to qualify the ethnic origins of Tandoor. One can debate where real Indian tradition ends and Western adaptations begin, of course. Balti and tikka Masala trace their heritage to the British Isles, but draw from authentic Indian cooking. Sweet and sour Madras dishes were developed in restaurants rather than the homes of Chennai or Tanjavur, yet Madras is also a very real place.
When a restaurant lists base “curry” dishes and prepares an assortment of beef plates, however, it must be shunted into the British Indian category.
No matter — Tandoor stands out in this class. Only Masala in Prague 2 matches the tiny restaurant for its savory and spicy dishes.
Lamb Jal frezi never wavers in its capsaicin assault, but marinated ginger manages to stave off the chili-fired heat just enough to allow some space for the dense flavor of stir-fried root vegetables. It’s a near-perfect expression of the jal frezi technique, except for an insistent coating of cooking oil — a minor, forgivable flaw.
Authentic, homestyle recipes often call for braising meats carefully, long periods of chopping vegetables to achieve just the right consistency and toasting spices (on a dry pan or in oil) until their very character changes. In the cook-to-order world of professional kitchens, however, chefs must often short-cut korma dishes. Methodical, slow cooking must give way to the demands of antsy customers, so the meat may end up tougher than homestyle. But Tandoor compensates with rich, thick and savory sauce, at once creamy with coconut and gritty from toasted spices.
By sautéing spices before adding meat to the pan, Indian chefs lend bhuna dishes intense, savory flavors. Tandoor’s chicken bhuna fits the traditions, with fine murky flavors cooked deep into tender white meat. Onions and tomatoes balance out the presentation nicely, their competing characters softened by heat.
The kitchen veers off-course only on rare occasion.
Instead of finding a balance between fiery spice and biting sour notes in the Madras sauce, Tandoor’s kitchen leans too far in favor of the latter. As a Western adaptation, tilting in one direction or another is not a fault, really, but a matter of interpretation. But after a few bites, the sharp sweet-sour tang begins to dominate the bowl.
Shallow, one-dimensional presentations are at odds with the spirit of Indian cooking. It is, after all, a part of the world known for deft use of spices that vary from region to region, household to household. So proud are most native cooks of their prowess, they would never hide a homemade garam masala behind one overpowering force, whether hot or sour.
Pakora, those savory vegetable fritters, sometimes wind up on the soggy side. But this is a comparatively minor flaw.
Tandoor owes its standing in part to price. Starters don’t venture into the 80 Kč range and a good-sized vindaloo runs between 120 Kč (vegetable) and 165 Kč (lamb). And diners who crave “Indian” cooking on a regular basis (yes, I’m including the Brits) appreciate the cramped little restaurant’s commitment to quality.
From the moment you walk in, sit down and take your first bite, it’s apparent: This is a restaurant that doesn’t worry about aesthetics or presentation, just good cooking.
And that’s a fortunate thing.

Dave Faries can be reached at dfaries@praguepost.com


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