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Shalamar

MY REVIEW: Today was my 3rd time in 2 years to eat here, but I'm still a little confused by most of the menu. There are no printed menus with explanations in English. That's probably because the customers (judging by their dress) are mostly Indian. And I guess the food is too--I find it hard to identify what dishes are mainly Indian and which are Pakistani??

And when trying to navigate the menu board posted on the wall, don't expect much help from the lone person working the front of this restaurant. I think she's the owner and, except for kitchen help, she goes it alone. So I guess she doesn't have much time to intrepret the menu for dummies like me.

However, what I have tried has been very, very good:
Beef Nehari
Queem
Dal and a similar dish, Chole
Karachi
Beef Kabab
Chicken Biryani
Naan

I've also had 2 deserts--not sure what they are called because they are not listed on the menu board. One is a sponge cake soaked in liquor. The other is made with a lot of sweetened condensed milk & baked. I liked both, but they are really sweet.

I'm hoping that as I eat there more often, the owner will warm up to me and be willing to explain what's offered. Until then, you can't go wrong with the dishes listed above--you might not have a clue what you're fixin to eat, but I promise it will be tasty and maybe a little spicy too!

NAME: Sandy from League City
SUBMITTED: 11/24/2012   LAST VISIT WAS: 11/12
FREQUENCY: Visited 2-3 times

MY REVIEW: I chose the Salamar Tray (combination plate) for my first visit so I could sample a variety of items at this neighborhood Indio-Pak restaurant. It features 5 dishes plus fresh nan and a small lettuce & onion salad. It was a good meal which I recommend as a way to introduce yourself to the 5 dishes:

1. Chicken Biryani was excellent, the best I've had. So many places I've tried (mostly Indian buffets) the rice, spices and chicken all seem to be cooked (baked?) together in one pot. My understanding of how birani is supposed to be prepared is the rice is fried (or baked) seperately and then mixed with cooked chicken. That's must be the way Shalamar does it because I could really taste the difference.

2. Seekh Kabab (beef) needed a little more spice, but was otherwise very good.

3. Queem. Ground beef & potato in a rich curry gravy was excellent.

4. Karachi Chicken in spicy curry gravy (great for dipping the hot naan into) was very tasty.

5. Daal. Creamy, spicy chikpeas were better than most buffets.

Shalamar, while neither fancy nor intimate, is clean, tidy and well organized. The tables & chairs are very basic, but are dressed up just a bit by tablecloths topped with plexi-glass. Order at the counter, then the food is brought to the table by one for the kitchen staff. Not sure this counts as "table service", so I felt no obligation to tip. There are 2 cases full of deserts and one for hot samozas for take out. Everything was showcased nicely and looked very appetizing.

NAME: Sandy from League City
SUBMITTED: 12/31/2010   LAST VISIT WAS: 12/10
FREQUENCY: Visited once

MY REVIEW: I liked Shalamar, but my husband didn't really like it as much as T*abaq Grill (just down the street) or C*uisine India (our favorite). We needed a late night dinner, had a craving for Indian, and found just the place with the right hours (11am to 11pm). Shalamar was clean and had the typical tv in the corner playing Pakistani news. They have a long dessert menu, so I'll be sure to go back and try some of those (especially the chocolate burfi).

We ordered the goat biryani, chicken tikka, rice, and naan (all for under $20). You also get a small salad with mint yogurt sauce for each dish you order. The naan was delicious. Everything else was okay. I always enjoy my meals, but the hubby claimed that he didn't like the chicken tikka at all (as he scraped his plate clean with his naan). We ordered our meal as a takeout, so I don't have a review for table service, but I wouldn't mind coming back.

NAME: gqqueen
SUBMITTED: 11/2/2010   LAST VISIT WAS: 10/2010
FREQUENCY: Visited 4-6 times

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