Adam B.
Yelp
Nothing new here for people who have known their food truck and/or brick-and-mortar for many years. Though I suppose the novelty here is a central location with long reliable hours. The menu can be a little hit-or-miss, so the secret is finding your favorites then sticking to them. My high recommend would be the Pav Bhaji.
Pav Bhaji: Fluffy buttery buns, slightly toasted just the right amount. A big bowl of veggie mush that's perfect for dipping and/or making a sandwich. No matter how you do it, it's kind like an Indian Sloppy Joe, so be sure to grab lots of napkins. There's something very special about the flavorful bowl of veggie stuff against those large fluffy buns. Hit the spot.
Vada Pav: Crunchy patty with a smooth spiced potato pasta instead. Fluffy buttered buns. Some sort of condiment that felt like an Indian version of kimchi, for a nice kick. I liked the tastes, but it seemed like it need some more moisture, maybe more chutney on the buns?
Mini Samosa Chaat: Meanwhile, they went a little overboard with the tamarind chutney here. I'm used to yogurt being the dominant liquid in chaat, with other chutneys adding a dimension of flavor. However, here it was brown sauce all around and tasted too sour. Also, wasn't a huge fan of the mini samosas because it felt like the dough-to-filling ratio was too high. I'd prefer two regular samosas just smashed. Not a fan.
Holy Moly Fried Ravioli: A familiar snack that's made so much better with tikka masala dipping sauce. The tomato base is upgraded with lots of spices and some cream. The ravioli itself was crispy on the outside with al dente pasta underneath and lots of nice cheese filling. Really loving this hybrid.
Paneer Kathi Roll: I'm a bit spoiled by The Kati Roll Company in NYC. Wasn't a fan of their filling, since it seemed very wet. So much so that the bottom was all soggy. Flavor was ok, but felt skimpy on the paneer with small cubes compared to the big veggie pieces. Liked the roti with egg on it though. The colorful fried shapes and chutney were a fun substitute for chips & salsa.
Naughty Naan w/ Tandoori Chicken: Essentially a very tasty Indian personal pizza. The sauce was curry-like with a few bit of peppers to give it a kick. The chicken didn't seem firm enough to have been cooked in the tandoor, seemed more like stewed. But it was still nicely spiced and tender. Kinda messy though, so you might need to eat this with a knife & fork instead of with your hands.
Paneer Tikka Masala Burrito: I remember when their food truck first launched ages ago that this was by far my favorite! Still a fan, but many years later it feels quite different. The paneer pieces don't seem as large or as plentiful, not as much tikka masala sauce and no spice level choices. This current iteration at the IKEA food hall felt very rice-y and a little bland. Don't get me wrong, still better than Chipotle, but feels different than from what it used to be.
Galub Jamun: These tasted quite fresh. Nice fried curd texture soaked to be all sorts of spongy with the sweet sticky water.
Mango Lassi: Pretty standard. Refreshing.