Posted by Jessica McLaughlin in indian, restaurant review on June 24, 2007 at 7:39 am
Nataraj
394 Bloor Street West
416-928-2925
Dinner for two with all taxes, tip: $35
On Saturday night I was in the mood for two things: a stroll along Bloor and Indian food. My boyfriend and I figured we’d encounter an Indian restaurant somewhere in our travels, so off we went, and along the way we found Nataraj. We’ve enjoyed a few meals here in the past and thought this was a great place to curb my craving.
Nataraj is located near Bloor and Brunswick and is easy to walk past if you’re not paying attention. Luckily, it’s usually quite busy, so there's often a line-up out the door. The place isn’t big on décor; fairly plain walls with turquoise green table clothes, not overtly Indian in feeling, but clean and bright. But I’m never one to get overly touchy about design when the food is good.
And the food is quite good. We sat at a small two-seater table near the front window. It was barely big enough for the amount of plates that end up occupying it, but we managed. I usually like to order at least one veggie dish, but my boyfriend is an all meat guy, so we got Gosht Masala (Lamb - $9.95), Butter Chicken ($10.50), Tandoori Naan ($1.95), and rice, of course.
This was the first time I’d had the Lamb Gosht Masala at Nataraj and it was excellent. The lamb was really tender and the sauce was so good, the dish was wiped clean with the naan before it was all said and done. As for the Butter Chicken, I’m not sure I’m a fan of it. It was definitely tasty and perfectly cooked, but it’s really tomato-y. I prefer a creamier Butter Chicken. We still cleaned our plates though!
Nataraj’s menu isn’t lacking. For vegetarians, there’s a substantial selection of dishes ($7.95-$8.95), including one of my faves – Saag Paneer ($7.95). The same can be said for their selection of chicken ($8.95-$11.95), beef and lamb ($9.95-$11.50) and fish dishes ($11.95-$13.95). The menu is listed on their website, but the prices are out of date.
The naan here is the best. There’s nothing I hate worse than getting a piece of bread where half of it has a huge crusty bubble. I’ve never had naan at Nataraj that wasn’t perfectly cooked. And who doesn’t love a great piece of bread to sop up all the delicious flavours on their plate?
As for the service at Nataraj – top notch. Anyone who doesn't have much of a tolerance for spicy food will certainly appreciate their swiftness in refilling the water glasses. The customer is certainly not left wanting for much.
It’s cheap. It’s delicious. The service is great. There’s really not much to complain about here. I’ve been there before and I’ll go back again. For anyone looking for Indian in the Annex, Nataraj is a safe bet.
Next time you're in the area and are craving Indian, do yourself a favor and cross the street to Mt. Everest. While i'm glad you enjoyed your Nataraj experience, I have always found their food lacking flavor and the dining-in experience unpleasant. Mt. Everest on the other hand has never disappointed. Their food is amazing, well-priced (equivalent to Nataraj), and they also offers Nepalese selections. The restaurant environment is wonderful, complete with Indian music (they used to have live sitar music on Wednesday nights...not sure if they still do) and friendly service.
Nataraj, in my humble opinion, is an atrocity to indian food. I've been there quite a few times for birthdays and functions and have always rolled my eyes after every bite. It's more "white indian" if you will. Mt Everest = Good.
I believe the reason why so many people like Nataraj is because it offers totally tamed down and americanized Inidian food. Something like the equivalent of Taco Bell to Mexican food (without the fast food component), Indian food that offers the suggestion of being different but with tastes pretty much like any bland food that will not offend but will not excite either.
I don't claim to know real Indian food, but when I turn to it, I want my tastebuds to be entertained and excited with lots of spices and flavours. Nataraj is too bland to do this. I'd really like to know where from is the chef or where did she learn to cook Indian food as it is possible that the particular type of influence depends on the region most of her training or experience is related.
If you are looking for Indian food in the area, go to Mt. Everest across the street.