Taipei's curry scene has long been dominated by establishments such as Hindustan and Tandoor. Their decor is comfortingly dowdy and there is a definite curry tang in the air when you enter. There is little pretension to elegance, but there wasn't really much choice if you wanted an authentic curry meal.
Now there is Oberoi, which according to Zack Li (
Oberoi has spent heavily on creating a sophisticated modern dining environment, with minimalist black upholstered chairs and spotless white table linen. Tableware shows an eye for presentation, and certainly curry has rarely looked so elegant. "We have incorporated some ideas from western cuisine," Li said, and with its understated garnish, there is always a splash of green or red to give each different curry dish visual appeal.
PHOTO COURTESY OF OBEROI
One great feature of Oberoi is its attention to bringing out the different spices. "Mostly we don't make our curries hot unless customers specifically ask, for that masks the tastes of the different kinds of spices," Li said. "We want each dish to taste different." The mutton rojan josh and the beef bhuna are both highly recommended. The meat is tender (Australian lamb and US prime respectively), and the flavor full without being overwhelming. Portions are not huge but the subtlety of the flavors more than compensate. And to fill up, the variety of baked Indian breads such as naan, poori and the lachha paratha, is a delicious way of filling in the gaps.
For the sweet tooth, check out the phirni oberoi, a light rice pudding flavored with anise, or the more conventional Indian ice cream.
Oberoi offers a wide variety of meat curries and three vegetarian dishes, but with a couple of days notice, Li said that the restaurant's chefs can turn out a vegetarian feast. "We can't do it on the day, as most of our food needs extended preparation times. Oberoi's chefs are drawn from five-star hotels in India, and Li said that he wants to maintain that kind of standard both in the kitchen and in the dining area. "We probably have the cleanest and most modern kitchen of any Indian restaurant in Taiwan," he said.
The restaurant offers a range of set menus for between NT$270 and NT$360 and serves a wider a la carte menu for dinner. The drinks menu covers most basic cocktails and spirits and a good selection of beers, including Kingfisher for those who want Indian beer. Finally there is a place to eat Indian in style.
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