I have lived intermittently in or near Hamden since the early 1970s, with absences for college, law school and jobs in Portland, Oregon and Manhattan, and as far as I can remember, the town hasn’t had an Indian restaurant. Yet the increasingly diverse town hosts a substantial Indian population (including my daughter’s best friend, Naini).
When the I.H.O.P. at the corner of Whitney Avenue and Skiff Street moved to the old Applebee’s location on Dixwell Avenue, Hamdenites wondered what would fill the deserted location. Soon, the word came down that it would be an Indian restaurant by the folks who run Darbar in Branford. Then a sign was put up, and we learned the restaurant would be called Cumin India.
The restaurant’s progress became a topic of conversation between the aptly named Priti,
who lives in our building, and my wife and me. We agreed that whoever got there first would report on how the food was. In my case, it’s my job.
A week ago, I visited Cumin India with my loyal friend, Bob, who had previously enjoyed its lunch buffet. From the outside, the restaurant still looked every bit an I.H.O.P. (I’ll bet the owners were grateful for the steeply pitched roof this winter.)
But inside, the restaurant had been prettified and had taken on the appropriate exoticism.
The waiting benches,
so regularly packed on weekend mornings when it was an I.H.O.P., came in handy when Bob and I visited as well. The place was packed.
Some customers elected carry-out.
Fortunately, it proved to be a short wait. If having plenty of Indian customers is the sign of a good Indian restaurant, than Cumin India clearly qualified.
The snow and ice piled up outside were almost menacing.
Once we had been seated, we were given the customary pappadam
and accompaniments (mint chutney, onion relish and tamarind sauce). Years ago, I used to make my own onion relish.
My companion drank salty
and mango lassis,
while I chose my favorite accompaniment to Indian food—a towering, ice cold, Taj Mahal beer.
A bevy of aromatic foods followed, including this goat biryani,
this lentil dish,
this special (Peshwari) naan,
and this paneer dish,
not to mention standard accompaniments like basmati rice
and raita.
But the dish we liked best was Cumin India’s tandoori salmon, which was incredibly fresh, juicy and flavorful. When I first saw the blackened spots, I thought they would taste burnt, but they proved to be the best parts of the fish.
Cumin India’s proprietor
kindly gave us some gulab jamun for dessert.
The one thing I haven’t disclosed is that my visit to Cumin India fell on Valentine’s Day, my wife and I having already celebrated that romantic occasion over the weekend. As good a friend as Bob is, he wouldn’t be my choice of a Valentine’s date (and I’m sure he feels the same about me). Valentine’s Day should look more like this.
Cumin India, 266 Skiff Street, Hamden, 203-248-6464
www.cumin-india.com