Eating Utah

Reservations? You probably won’t need them

Overview: Taj India is a true diamond in the rough. From the outside it looks like an old Denny’s, but inside we found by far the best Indian food I have ever had. If you really care about the decor you probably want to look elsewhere, but if you want fantastic food at a great price, Taj India is the place.

Total price for 2 (includes appetizers, entrees, drinks and tip): $50 (we splurged - this would definitely be at the high end for this restaurant)

Service: Rating:

Comments: We had heard that the service here was impeccable. While there were no major hang-ups, it did seem to take a long time for our waitress to initially come and greet us. However, as the restaurant began to fill up we seemed to actually get more attention from the staff - overall we were very impressed with the service (particularly for an Indian restaurant).

Ambiance: Rating:

Comments: This definitely is not a restaurant where you are going to bring an important client to show off. From the hideous carpets to uncomfortable chairs you will probably spend the first ten minutes wondering why you let yourself get talked into coming to such a run-down restaurant. In fact, if I had scored the restaurant’s ambiance before I ate it probably would have received one star - tasting the food at Taj India, however, makes all the cheesy decoration seem more authentic.

Food: Rating:

Best dish: Everything was great, but the mixed grill won. I ordered the Tandoori Mixed Grill (one of the more expensive menu items at $22) because I wanted to taste the lamb. I didn’t order a lamb-only dish because I find that at most places the lamb is too gamey for me. The mixed grill, however, had chunks of lamb and a lamb sausage that were both to die for. The dish also had two types of chicken (boneless and bone-in) and some grilled shrimp. Every single piece of meat was to die for. The rice and naan were the perfect complement to the meal (which also included a drink and a choice of soup or salad).

My wife ordered chicken coconut korma - if you like Thai food (particularly massaman curry), this is the dish for you. Served with strangely addictive white rice, the curry was light with a pleasant little kick to it. The naan, which is made in-house, is warm and moist.

Worst dish: Not one dish disappointed us in any way.

Other comments: For anybody looking for great Indian food in Utah, Taj India is the place. If you don’t care for uncomfortable chairs simply call your order in and take it to go.

Overall Rating: