Margie's Dinner at India Grill

Saturday, January 5, 2018

First dinner of the new year and my 1,001 post to my blog. I sure eat and drink a lot. Margie selected India Grill in Cypress to start the year off. www.ocindiagrill.com.  22 in attendance tonight. Good size turnout but the restaurant is centrally located for everyone so that is the result.

Found out that Sanjiv the owner is now a former owner. He sold out. Don't know what has happen to the Himalayan Grill at Peters Landing in Sunset Beach. They are doing a lot of remodeling at the landing and who knows who will survive.

I will say that after dinner we decided that India Grill must have a new chef. We were taken with the quality of the food. Much better than before.

We started out with Onion Bhaji. Deep fried onions with spices. Light batter. Not greasy.

Then the entrees arrived. Chicken Tikka . Nice and moist. Big improvement.  Vegetable Biryani is rice with mixed vegetables, nuts and raisins. A bit of a bite to it but very good. Missed the yogart sauce that we had at the recon dinner.
Then Mixed Vegetable Korma. Korma is a creamy cashew curry. One of my favorites. Along with Shrimp Chau Chau which is noddles that are pan fried with herbs and spices. Shrimp were fresh.  And last entree is a Lamb Masala. Masala is a creamy tomato onion sauce.  Lamb was tender and a really good dish.  These dishes along with Garlic Naan and Basmati rice finished the meal.

Dessert was Kulfi which is a pistachio ice cream with saffron, cardamon spice and nuts.

All the food was very good and we felt much better quality than in the past. Restaurant was filled with people waiting for tables. A good sign that the new owners and cook are doing things right.

25 wines tonight and I doubt  if  I tasted more than a quarter of them.  Way too much wine if you wanted to stand up after dinner.

NV Moretti, Valdobbiadene, Proseco - A good wine that I like really well..

2010 Pisoni, SLH, Pinot Noir - another favorite of mine and several us agreed one of the top two wines of the night.

2005 Williams Selyem, RRV, Pinot Noir  - another favorite

2016 Charles Baur, Gewurztraminer - deep and spicy

NV  Luien Abrecht, Alsace, Cremont Rose - never a disappointment

2017 Abacela, Grenache Rose - did not tstate

2017 Tablas Creek, Grenache Rose - did not taste

2017 Stolo, Gewurztraminer - very nice, much lighter than the Charles Baur

2014 Au Bob Climat, Knox Alexander - did not taste

NV Mumm, Brut Rose - a nice light bubbly

2014 Lucas and Lewellen, Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc - sweet 

2015 Tally, Pinot Noir - did not taste

NV Pashey, Brut Rose - don't think I tasted this - too many wines

2017 Maysara, Pinot Gris - did not taste

2013 Williams Seylem, West Side Neighbors, Pinot Noir - nice but needs a few more years

2016 Palmero Chenin Blanc - did not taste

NV Lamarca, Proseco - did not taste

NV Coquelicot, Rose of Sauvignon - did not taste

2016 Epipnaux, Grenache Blanc - did not taste

2016 Barton, Albarion - did not taste

2014 Landa , Syrah - did not tatste

2014 Williams Selyem, esatside Neighbors, Pinot Noir - good but needs time

NV Mumm Champagne - did not taste

2014 Samasara, Grenache - did not taste

2014 Ckos Pepe, Pinot Noir - did not taste but I have a case at home - too young to open

2013 LaCuvier, Mouvedre - did not taste

NV Roderer Estate Sparkling - did not taste

2016 Blue Quail, Dry Gewurztraminer - did not taste.