Do the smells of cumin and coriander wafting on the breeze make your mouth water uncontrollably? Or are you the kind of person who runs away from spicy food like a cow from a branding iron? Whichever way your loyalties lie, India Quality is a good fit for you.
Tucked away below Commonwealth Avenue with a dingy concrete exterior and doubtful name, this Zagat-rated restaurant proves itself time and again.
Like the exterior, the interior of the restaurant seems unpromising at first. It's small and narrow, dimly lit, and the decorations leave something to be desired. But as soon as you are ushered to your table you will realize that the design makes dining more intimate. It was easy to hear other people at the table, yet difficult to overhear other diners even when the restaurant became crowded.
After you are seated, the table is supplied with papadam, a thin and spicy cracker which may be a little strange or too hot for a beginner. Also on the table are the brown, red, and green sauces ranging from sweet to insanely spicy for dipping.
The appetizers arrived almost immediately. The vegetable samosas, triangular fried pastry filled with potatoes and peas, were crispy and flavorful without being hot, and fit particularly well with the sweet brown sauce at the table.
Anyone who eats Indian food frequently knows that naan, a fluffy white flatbread, is a staple of any good meal. The naan served at India Quality was warm and fresh, right out of the oven.
The garlic naan was tasty but the garlic was quite strong - not a date food. The aloo naan, with potatoes and peas, was interesting but not particularly good. Stick with the plain naan for dipping.
The entrees also arrived quickly, served with bowls of delicious Basmati rice. They were all delicious and ranged from borderline spicy - the mild Sag Paneer, or spinach with cubes of cheese - to a burn-your-mouth-off Lamb Vindaloo.
Portion sizes were also excellent. I brought back plastic containers of leftovers, even thought we ate everything we physically could.
The Aloo Gobhi, or potatoes and cauliflower, was especially delicious. There was a full array of spices and the crunchy cauliflower and soft potatoes complimented each other excellently.
It was a little disappointing in that it did not have very much sauce for dipping, but both the spicy Lamb Vindaloo and the tomato-based Shahi Paneer with cheese provided plenty (remember: Indian food is always better when shared around the table).
The service was excellent. We were seated immediately at 6:45 on a Saturday night. The man who refilled our water glasses worked extremely hard, and the waiter stopped by the table often to make sure everything was all right.
India Quality serves a wide variety of dishes, both vegetarian and not. For those who avoid meat, there are potatoes, mushrooms, chickpeas and cheese galore. For meat lovers, get ready for a feast - options include lamb, chicken, beef, seafood, and goat. They have a dessert menu, but you will probably be too stuffed to even consider it. India Quality also serves beer and wine.
In case you aren't already drooling like crazy at the prospect of this delightfully seasoned food, wait till you hear about the prices. Everything is quite reasonable: dinner entrees range from $9-11, and lunch from $5-7. The naan and appetizers are $2-3 each. The papadam and dipping sauces are complimentary, but a bowl of raita (yogurt sauce) to cool your burning mouth will cost you a dollar.
India Quality is at 484 Commonwealth Ave., next to the Kenmore stop on the Green Line. The restaurant is downstairs, right next to "Nuggets" record/CD store.
