San Diego, CA (The Joy of Food) — From the outside, Curry ‘n Kabab looks not unlike every other strip mall Indian purveyor in San Diego, to its left a Mexican food joint and to its right a shop specializing in martial arts. In this part of town, samosas might just be more common than tacos, and fluffy mango mousse might be the stuff that clouds are made of.
India’s symphony of food styles is a delicious byproduct of its long and storied history. Each region has its culinary specialties like you’d find in pretty much any culture, stretching from the snow-capped Himalayas to the warm waters of the Indian Ocean. Curry ’n Kabab is a trip across this patchwork of glorious options, and the visit won’t cost you very much.
You can eat chicken tikka masala hundreds of times, as white people are prone to do, and the only thing any two versions will have in common is the chicken. Here, the masala curry is spicy and full-bodied in flavor, although a tad sweeter than I normally care for. But it is a rendition you will love if, like me, you enjoy spiciness that scorches your esophagus without overshadowing the taste of everything else.
The fiery-red tandoori chicken is among the best you will find at this price point, pieces of meat that are sometimes a little dry but decently tender. Even better, the saag paneer here is creamy and silky, a version that could easily hold its own next to more expensive versions. The chunks of paneer (Indian cheese) are tender yet mild, a successful supporting player in a sea of green. It’s a fact that it is easy to eat well as a vegetarian at an Indian restaurant.
This is also the place to come for biryani dishes, an intersection of aromas, colors, and flavors all in a plate of fluffy rice, the chicken version being decidedly tender, spicy, complexly tart, more like what you might associate with a Iranian stew than with Indian cuisine, but I’m sure it swings both ways.
The naan is chewy doughy goodness, in places crisp and in others soft and more nuanced than I would expect from a fast-casual place. Plan to use very bit of bread to lap up the bounty of curries, and it will be a very good meal.
Pro-tip: A search for ‘best San Diego Indian lunch deal’ on Google brings Curry ’n Kabab to the top of any best-of list where for a price of $10.99, you get lentil soup, two mains, basmati rice, and naan. This deal is offered between 11 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. weekdays.
Written by Joy
Thanks for reading. The Joy of Food blog celebrates eating well, traveling often, and living la dolce vita. San Diego, California is home base, but thoughts are from all over. Reviews and photos help to highlight wonderful (or not) food experiences from around the world.
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Mmm… Must try the tandoori chicken and naan.
Always worth a visit and the tandoori chicken and naan are highlights.