Matthew Hughes
Google
If you ask people where to get good Indian food in Austin, Rock N Grill inevitably comes up in the conversation. I know, I know, it's in Round Rock, but after visiting them for lunch for the first time, the hype machine for their cooking is spot on.
I love Indian food. From the North and South and West and East. I love the country's spice profile, and I love the heat of their dishes. I always laugh when they tell me a dish may be too spicy...bring it!
I came alone, so I was only able to try a few items. I had the Gobi 65 Sauce as an appetizer, and then the Home Style Chicken Curry for my main meal with the Peshawari Naan. I was also going to try the Goat Kizhi Paratha, but I ran out of room.
The appetizer is a deep-fried cauliflower dish from Southern India. While there are many variations of the spices in the batter, typically, it has red chili powder, garam masala, turmeric, and coriander. After frying it, the cauliflower is often tempered in oil with cumin seeds, ginger, garlic, dried red chilies, curry leaves, and yogurt. Rock N Grill's take on this street food was perfect. I had it very spicy level.
My waitress Maya suggested I try the Home Style Chicken Curry since it was my first time at the restaurant. She said it's a classic curry recipe that has tons of spice variations depending upon what area of the country you are in. Cardemom, cinnamon, and ginger are highlighted in Rock's version. I went with a medium spice level. The dish disappeared quickly, and the Peshawari Naan made sure I soaked up all the juice after the chicken was gone.
I really wanted to try the Goat Kizhi Paratha. It's another Southern Indian dish that takes a flaky parotta bread and wraps it around a flavorful goat curry. It is then steamed in banana leaves to enhance the taste and aroma.
The "kizhi" aspect refers to the wrapping and steaming method, which helps the flavors meld together. Note: I had to look up this cooking method since I have not tried it at home.
I also passed on a whole counter of Sweet desserts treats. I took a picture to entice you to visit Rock N Grill if my descriptions and other pictures of the food were not enough. Excellent service. The restaurant is located in a small strip mall. More than enough parking. #MattGoodEats