City Bites: North Indian Cuisine

Well, your naan prayers have been answered. For the past five years North Indian Cuisine has quietly lived just two doors down from McDonalds. Currently it’s sandwiched between a convenience store and Honki Tonki – the new Chinese venture from Sit Lo.

The place is small and easy to miss, even with their sign out front advertising curry deals. A small curry over rice takeaway will set you back a meagre $5.90, and you’ll probably want to pick up a samosa to go along with it. ‘Vegetable’ contains curried potato and peas, while ‘meat’ is spiced beef with peas.

The interior is nothing to write home about, a service counter at the front, and some laminate tables toward the back. The glow of a fridge filled with fizzy drink and flavoured lassi separates the two areas. Traditional Indian music and dancers flow quietly from the television on the back wall – the sign of a good local joint.

If you order one thing here, it has to be the tandoori chicken naan. A piece of bright red tandoori chicken thigh is cut up and wrapped in your choice of naan (garlic, cheese or plain). If you consent to all the salad fillings, green capsicum, shredded cabbage and onion can join too. A few spoonfuls of mint sauce and the naan is popped in a bag, for takeaway or dine in.

The wrap will set you back a whole $5.90. Eftpos minimum is $10 here, so a few pakoras and a samosa bring the total up. The chewy warm naan and charred chicken is addictively good. It’s a go-to for students and workers after a quick meal. If you like it enough, they’ll even cater/deliver the wraps, for a minimum order of $60.

The shop is simple and to be frank, there are bain marie’s and plastic trays, so what you see is what you get. It has its place as fast, satisfying and cost friendly. Curries aren’t very hot, but there’s mango lassi within reach if you need.

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