Opened by Kolkata (Calcutta) born Nelson Yeh (
There's not much to write home about when talking about the joint's interior, which is designed to be simple and homely, yet possessing of a certain subcontinent-styled elegance. But then diners don't come here to look at the walls they come to eat.
And eat you certainly can at the Hindustan. Its large menu is packed with everything any curry-munching devotee could possibly want and should expect to find in an Indian eatery in Taipei.
PHOTO: GAVIN PHIPPS, TAIPEI TIMES
There are enough kormas, koftas, masalas, paneers, vindaloos, do piazas, makhanwalas, naans and basmatis to keep you coming back for more for quite some time.
Over the years Yeh has managed to create a menu that caters to all and sundry when it comes to curry. The joint boasts 16 vegetable dishes, all of which can be enjoyed by even the staunchest vegetarian without fear or trepidation -- all of which are priced at NT$220.
Be it a nutty potato based malai kofta, a spinach loaded sagg paneer, a feast of okra in the form of bhindi masala or a simple vegetable curry that packs a spicy punch, the Hundustan's menu oozes healthy curries.
The joint doesn't disappoint when it comes to feeding the carnivorous either. Dishes such as the ginger laden rogan josh, creamy chicken and mutton kormas, onion heavy mutton do piaza and house specials such as jhinga masala, a dry spicy prawn dish, are all reasonably priced at between NT$310 and NT$480.
As Yeh makes his vindaloos for all palates, diners who wish for more fire with their traditional Goan sweet and spicy dish only need to ask and it shall be done.
For the truly ravenous, the tandoor mixed grill (NT600) has enough meaty sustenance to feed an army, with masses of chicken tandoor and tikka and piles of mutton reshmi and seekh kebabs. The gajar halwa (NT$65) -- a carrot-based dessert which is made with milk and sugar -- is a fantastic after meal treat. Also recommended is Yeh's homemade kulfi (NT$85), or Indian ice cream. Only available in mango flavor, the frosty mild masala dessert has a real fruity zing to it and is the perfect finale to any meal, be it large or small.
Yeh is also proud of his chutney dip and makes no bones about how he feels when he compares it to the green substances that passes for the pickle found in other Indian eateries. "It's the best chutney in Taiwan," said Yeh with a grin. "And that's no bullshit!"
March 27 to April 2 After placing fifth in the 1964 Miss Universe pageant in Miami, “Miss China” Yu Yi (于儀) toured the US to great fanfare. The Chinese community in San Francisco called her the “pride of the Republic of China (ROC),” and she even received the key to New York City. Taiwan’s Miss China pageant produced three winners that year who performed on the international stage. Lin Su-hsin (林素幸), the second Taiwan-born Miss China, did even better, claiming third place in London’s Miss World. She says she was elated to see
Last week, the huge news broke that the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) would not host an open primary for its presidential nominee, but instead pick a candidate through a committee process. KMT Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫) sent forth a few polite meaningless words about party unity in making the announcement. There’s great commentary on this momentous move, so I will say only that for those of you who think the KMT will “never be that dumb,” I have three words for you: Hung Hsiu-chu (洪秀柱), the unelectable candidate the party chose for the 2016 presidential race. Criticism of the Democratic Progressive
The opportunity that brought Ming Turner (陳明惠) back to Taiwan a decade ago had an environmental theme, but since then, she admits, paying attention to environmental issues “hasn’t really been my thing.” Turner, who attended graduate school in the UK, initially returned to curate an event in Kaohsiung’s Cijin District (旗津), not far from where she grew up. Some years after she and her husband decided they’d stay in Taiwan, they moved to Tainan’s Annan District (安南) with their two young children. Turner is now an associate professor in the Institute of Creative Industries Design and director of visual and performance
Among the many atrocities committed by the Japanese during World War II, the Sook Ching massacre was notable for the involvement of Taiwanese. Having captured Singapore in February 1942, the Japanese army and its accomplices killed at least 25,000 Chinese. Prominent among the invaders’ henchmen was Wee Twee Kim (Huang Duijin, 黃堆金), an interpreter-turned-enforcer who — as this riveting new book reveals — was one of many Taiwanese participants in abuses against overseas Chinese, Allied POWS and local civilians. As an employee of the Japanese Southern Asian Company, Wee had been posted to Singapore in 1917. He started out managing Chinese