This is an interesting addition to the downtown SS eating scene, notable because it is NOT a chain. (Locally owned, one of the partners actually is from Nepal.) It's on Wayne Av. across from one of the major parking garages for the new downtown complex. It's Indian-Nepalese, open for business since this past Tuesday night. Lots of rough edges as you might expect, but promising nonetheless. We asked for one of the Nepalese appetizers, Momo (described as turkey, chicken or veg dumpling w/ Nepalese sauce), but they didn't have it. We settled for Gundruk, a Nepalese broth with dried vegetabgles and mystery peanut-like nuts (beans?) that evidently warms people up at high altitudes. Also had more traditional Indian chicken kabab and lamb curry, plus very flavorful naan. We paid with a debit card and they couldn't get the receipt to roll out of the swiper machine properly, so we signed a sketchy, torn-in-half slip & left a cash tip. (Appears to have traveled thru our bank account without incident.) All in all not quite up to Heritage India or Rasika maybe, but a good start, certainly worth going to if you're looking for something different in Silver Spring. Would be interested to hear comments of anyone else who goes to Ghar-E-Kabab.
I went to Ghar-E-Kabob with coworkers for lunch today. We had take-out, so I can't speak to the service, but the owner (I assume he was the owner) was very nice and accommodating. We all ordered the buffet (to-go), mainly to try a little of everything. I don't think I'd order an entree or special from the menu for lunch because of the price (nothing under $11 except veggie dishes and sides), but the buffet was definitely a good deal at $9.99, and I'll probably go back at some point with my wife for dinner.
Now about the food....had Pulao Rice, Spinach with corn, Aloo Ghobi (steamed potato with cauliflower), Dal (lentils), Karhai Lamb, and Chicken. Came with a whole piece of naan (10" diameter) and dipping sauces. I absolutely cleaned my to go box. Yum. The lamb and chicken were excellent - moist and tender and in tasty sauces. The rice, dal, spinach, and potatoes were also good, not blow-you-away good but definitely all well-prepared and nicely complimented the meats. The naan is my only "complaint" in that it was slightly rubbery, not soft on the inside and crisp on the outside, and that could have been attributed to the fact that it was take-out, wrapped to go vs. right out of the tandoor. But the flavor was spot on and the sauces were exactly right, and I did eat it all.
And though it's only a week later than Dan F.'s trip, they'd gotten the credit card machine working. I don't see it in a comparison category with Rasika, which is a completely different atmosphere, far more upscale and trendy, and much larger. This has a much more homey, family atmosphere - the owner-guy was really nice and welcoming, as was all of the staff we encountered. I'll get the buffet for lunch when I go back, and who knows what dinner service will hold, but it's worth a trip.
Forgot to add that it all tasted very freshly made, and is touted on the menu as organic. "Fresh, Simple and Organic" is what they say. And it was.
Posted on: http://www.chowhound.com/topics/482620
The Silver Spring Penguin
Dining: Ghar-E-Kabab
A brand-spankin’ new restaurant offers Indian and Nepali cuisine like your mother would make, if your mom were from India or Nepal.
Ghar-e-Kabab (944 Wayne Ave) aims for the subtle flavors and coarse textures of home cooking. It’s not about whacking diners over the head with exotic spices, or about hand-carved decor and Ravi Shankar’s greatest hits. It’s about eating — and eating a lot — in a comfy environment.
For the uninitiated (or just plain gluttonous), the restaurant’s thali platters are a good bet. The meaty version ($18) offers generous samples of lamb and chicken curries, plus a bunch of side dishes (reviewed below).
The lamb curry has a warm, earthy flavor and makes for rich comfort food, even if the meat is a little tough. The tender chicken masala is tangy with tomato sauce, and the grilled boneless chicken imparts a slight smoky flavor. It’s pretty good.
The vegetarian thali ($16, pictured) also hits with a lot of food. Particularly tasty is the palak paneer, coarsely chopped fresh spinach sauteed with buttery hunks of cheese and kickin’ curry. The platter’s chana masala also works, laying down “meaty” chickpeas with a subversively spicy curry sauce.
Each thali platter comes with a hulking samosa — dense curried potatoes stuffed in a crisp wrapper. There’s also a piece of naan bread that’s similar to pizza crust in taste and texture; smoky lentils; a billowing pile of basmati rice; unremarkable mixed vegetables; and raita, a refreshing cucumber-yogurt sauce that plays nicely against the platter’s bolder flavors.
And just in case there’s still room in the belly, each platter comes with a small serving of kheer, sweet and runny rice pudding that will have diners licking at their bowls.
Penguin taste testers hit this restaurant on its third day of business, and there were still some kinks in service to be worked out. Still, the servers were helpful and apologetic, and the food arrived quickly despite the wait to place an order. The place also did a frenzied takeout business.
Instead, hit the self-serve buffet lunch until the staff gets itself together.
Ghar-e-Kabob, 944 Wayne Ave, Silver Spring, (301) 587-4427.
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Having hit this place on both its second and third day of business, I also recommend the mango lassi (fresh and creamy with hints of coconut), any of the orders of bread (which come fresh from the oven), and the Nepali specials such as the Cho-e-la (cold marinated duck).
This place is a real treat in a region overflowing with mediocre indian cuisine.
I went with a girlfriend on Thursday night. The service was outstanding and the food was delicious! We both had the vegetarian thali — perfectly seasoned. It was a great way to get a sampling of many tasty dishes. Next time I’ll try some of the meat dishes and a salty lassi!
We’ve now eaten there twice and had wonderful experiences both times. My husband is crazy about the butter chicken, says it’s the best he ever had - and he’s had a lot of Indian, including tony establishments downtown.
“Penguin” neglected to mention two critical items for families:
(1) free delivery in 5 mile radius and (2) a kids’ menu for $5. Sure, mac ‘n cheese isn’t exactly South Asian, but then, your kid isn’t looking for exotic cuisine, now is s/he? It keeps them happy while you meander through your thali platter.
Free sample mango lassi was also served to our offspring, and went down so well we ordered another. The complimentary dessert (khir) was also welcome and delicious. Owners are friendly locals who live on Dale Drive. Highly recommended.
We tried it on their 4th day of business. Still working out the service kinks, but the manager (owner?) was very courteous and apologetic. The restaurant filled up shortly after we got there, a significant number of whom had come at the recommendation of a neighborhood listserve post.
Our 2-year-old daughter was offered a mango lassi and her meal was free too (children under 4 eat free)! We asked for a vegetable biryani for her, and my husband and I got the thalis, meat for him and vegetarian for me. There were some awesome dishes, and excellent bread. But those darned mixed vegetables kept showing up in too many dishes. It was in the vegetable biryani, the mixed vegetable dish in the vegetarian thali, and in the samosas. For a restaurant that touts fresh, natural ingredients on its menu (it even offers that as an explanation for why preparation time might be longer), its overuse of frozen vegetables was quite conspicuous.
Maybe they just need a little more time to work out the smaller details, so we may go back again, just not very soon. We wanted so much to like it, though, because we’ve been waiting so long to a viable alternative to the mediocre-at-best Bombay Gaylord.