Palace of Asia owner and chef Sukhdev Kabow with Elizabeth Williams, who nominated the Chicken Tikka Masala as this week's "dish."
So what's "The DISH?"
It's a feature video here at The Trentonian. To nutshell: You nominate your favorite dish at your favorite restaurant, and Jeff Edelstein takes you over there to sample the dish, talk to the chef and ... well, who knows what could happen? Be sure to check this space every Tuesday for the latest DISH, and remember to check out the video online at www.trentonian.com.
The DISH: Chicken Tikka Masala, as nominated by Elizabeth Williams of Hamilton.
The joint: Palace of Asia in Lawrenceville (www.palace-of-asia.com)
The chef/owner: Sukhdev Kabow, who first came to America at age 21 in 1981, working in the kitchen of his father's restaurant ... He was a server, but kept his eyes open ... one day, the chef didn't show up, so Sukhdev started cooking orders ... later that night, his wife, who was the hostess, asked the patrons how the food was ... and the answer? "They said it was pretty good." ... He knew then he could do it, and do it better ... claims to have "never looked back" from that night ... now owns five restaurants: This one, plus a eatery in the Princeton Shopping Center and Cherry Hill mark his New Jersey territory ... restaurants in Delaware and Texas round out the empire.
Tell us some stuff, Elizabeth: "I was living in England four years ago, and Indian food there is as common as Chinese food is here ... When you get done drinking, you go out for curry ... first time I tried it, I fell in love with it, and the food at Palace of Asia is as close to what I remember in England."
Did you know: Clay ovens, like the one found in Palace of Asia, are known as a "tandoor" and date back to at least 2000 B.C.E, according to best-guess estimates ... charcoal is how a tandoor gets its heat ... Palace of Asia specializes in Northern Indian cuisine.
Jeff's take: To our American mouths, Indian food is an explosion of spice and flavor. The Tikka Chicken is really good on its own, and the addition of the masala sauce just deepens the flavor. I enjoyed it, though it's not a particularly spicy dish. A great starting point for first-timers, though Kabow, the owner, says this dish is still his favorite.