Sukriti Gangopadhyay
Google
Food was fantastic and definitely worth the visit. We shared several appetizers, drinks, a couple entrees, and every dessert. Everything was delicious and unique. I’ve rewritten this review several times but because there’s so much to say I end up with a novel. I’ll try to talk about highlights, but know that every dish is delicious, unorthodox, and well presented. Many others have provided breakdowns for what they’ve tried, so I’ll mention notable items which others haven’t provided feedback on yet.
Mushroom Galouti - My brother mentioned that they had a taste and texture better than traditional meat galouti. Great option for vegetarians
Blue Cheese Chicken Kebabs - Excellent. Blue cheese was very mild, and chicken was very soft.
Layered Sheermal - Very soft, fluffy, and lightly sweet.
Sichuan Eggplant - Very creative, very delicious. Crispy outside, soft inside. Another great option for vegetarians.
Frankly, nearly everything was outstanding. There is not a bad choice on the menu. The only exception was the ramen, which we had mixed feelings about. Apart from the taste, my thoughts are that perhaps the soup base could be slightly more viscous, or, if not, firmer ramen noodles could be provided to better absorb the flavor of the broth. I love the idea a lot, though. It got me thinking about how else butter chicken could be translated into different dishes, such as a butter chicken jhol momo with chicken char siu.
Desserts were all excellent and, to me, the highlight of the meal. Contrary to what a few of the reviews mention, the Gulab Jamun worked very well with the layering of the sourness of the lemon curd, consistency of the jamun, and crunchy, sweetness of the pecan cookie bar. The Shahi Tukda Panna Cotta was very good as well. My family loved the mild sweetness, texture, and flavor of the dish.
As we all know, Houston is a food capitol and while the food was so good I’m hesitant to mention any cons it would be remiss of me if I didn’t note any points of improvement however minor they may be.
There are two points I would like to mention, the first being how long it took to receive drinks and dishes. We visited on a Friday night and opted to sit outside as we wanted a quieter atmosphere, so perhaps positioning beyond an immediate line of sight contributed to the delay, but it was over 30 minutes after being seated that we received our first appetizers and drinks. I completely understand, as it was a very busy night and it’s only been a few months after opening. I’m sure this will improve over time as the kitchen and staff get acclimated, hence why I’ve put my list of cons at the bottom at the point which most people have stopped reading. I’m also of the mind that I would much rather have things come out properly done than in a substandard fashion for the sake of time. However, I had been planning my visit here since KR opened and had not eaten a single thing on the day of my visit in anticipation of the meal. It was 10:00 pm before I was able to eat anything, and while I’m usually an optimist it made me a little bit sad :( Subsequent rounds of appetizers and entrees were a bit quicker, but for the first time I cancelled a drink because it took too long. But I digress as I’m sure things will improve as the team gets more comfortable with the volume of customers which the quality of their food demands.
My second issue was with the quantity. To clarify, I have no issue with the cost of the food because it was worth it. $8 per dumpling? Cool. $14 per lamb chop? That’s your prerogative. But this is Texas, where the clientele is used to things being bigger. Houstonians are, whether physically or mentally, heavy set. We like our portions big. Please provide us options for smaller quantities or larger ones at a premium. I felt guilty eating because it meant others couldn’t eat what they liked. For example, the ceviche wasn’t worth $18 but for a bit more I’d happily pay $23. Also, would love to see a side of rice on the menu. I’d have no issues paying a few hundred dollars more for larger portions.