Curry Bowl opens in Maitland

If you’ve been waiting for a new restaurant to spice up the Maitland food scene, the folks at Curry Bowl may have just what you need.

Located at the corner of South Keller Road and Fennell Street, the Curry Bowl is offering traditional Indian and Indo-Chinese cuisine for locals looking for something new. 

The restaurant, which held its grand opening on Saturday, July 28, began a new adventure for husband and wife duo Sanjeeva and Pushpa Vallura, and chef/partner Venkateswara Gunga.

“We observed that there was no proper food — especially Asian,” Sanjeeva said. “So we targeted this audience to go out and have this authentic Indian — we know how to prepare authentic Indian dishes not only (from) South India, but we also (create) Indo-Chinese items.”

The dishes served up at Curry Bowl concentrate on four main Indian dishes: curries, biriyanis, tandoori and dosas.

Of all of the restaurant’s items, curry is probably one of the most familiar for Americans, Sanjeeva said, which makes it a good place to start for those new to Indian food. Curry refers to a number of dishes from South India that generally feature the use of complex combinations of spices or herbs.

One popular Curry Bowl special is the tandoori chicken half, which consists of chicken marinated with the restaurant’s own special spices and grilled in a traditional clay tandoori oven. The tandoori is a favorite of his, Sanjeeva said.

“I always enjoy the chicken tandoori,” Sanjeeva said. “It’s very good, so I always go with that.”

Another delicious meal locals will be able to try is the chicken tikka — a dish that includes boneless chicken marinated with creamy tikka sauce. Like many of the dishes, the chicken is grilled in the clay oven.

Many of the dishes you find at Curry Bowl feature the ever popular use of chicken, but there are a variety of meats as you make your way through the menu.

Fish and shrimp can be found in the non-vegetarian appetizers, while lamb and goat are offered up in a variety of their own meals; such as the lamb curry — which includes tender lamb marinated and cooked in a curry — and goat chettinadu, which is goat cooked with natural spices, coconut milk and pepper.

If you are new to Indian cuisine, the names and ingredients may be a bit intimidating. Luckily, Sanjeeva and his staff are always open to helping you find a nice entry into the world of Indian food.

“Most of the time, our staff will advise them on the dishes and tell them about the dishes,” Sanjeeva said. “Aside from curry items, we always advise them to try (items like) the chicken tikka.”

For those looking for meals with no chicken — or meat in general — Curry Bowl also has a selection of vegetarian meals.

From the restaurant’s aloo mutter (potato cooked with green peas and Curry Bowl’s own onion gravy) to the chaina masala (chickpeas cooked with North Indian spices), Curry Bowl is sure to have something for folks wanting a healthy meal as well — satisfying everyone’s hunger.

“Most of the people they like vegetarian stuff, because they’re health conscious,” Sanjeeva said. “People love those items and they’re always attracted to traditional masalas.”