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COMPASS MAGAZINE, December 2006

	Exotic and abundant Indian Cuisine --- By Ann Li, Douglas Habecker and Niang Chen Translated by Sho Huang and Mei Lee   ANDREW INDIAN RESTAURANT 56, ChangChun Street moved to: 1017, JianXing Rd If you're in the mood for five-star Indian cuisine, Andrew Indian may be the place for you. From the moment you walk in, you are surrounded by rich, fragrant aromas that jump-start your appetite. The decor, with a graceful wood-colored interior and golden tablecloths, exudes style and quality. While dining, you can also watch the TV, playing festive Indian programs. The owner invited three top-rated chefs--Shairan, Manoj and Jatender--who previously worked at Indian five-star establishments and have mastered southern and northern Indian dishes with a skillful use of curries and spices. Indian dishes are famous for their mixture of hundreds of spices and the most recommended dish here, Andrew Tandoori Chicken (NT$360), uses a half chicken marinated with a spice mixture for a juicy texture and wonderful smell. Tandoori Mahi Fish Tikka (NT$380) provides layers of flavors when you taste it. Other must-try dishes are the Murgh Makhani Curry (NT$280) and Yellow Chicken Curry (NT$270). Every dish on the menu, including soups, lamb and seafood entrees, desserts, yogurt drinks and wine, will please a wide variety of taste buds. Andrew Indian also offers NT$220 lunch specials, and can prepare dishes to diners' requests reqarding levels of spiciness.
	BOLLYWOOD INDIAN PUB & RESTAURANT   (04) 2319-2828 1026, JianXing Road Hours:11 am-2 pm, 4:30-11 pm No service charge. Credit cards accepted.   While the idea of an Indian bar and restaurant may seem a bit unusual, the concept has been very successful at Bollywood, which is an offshoot of the equally-popular Kebabish Indian Restaurant directly across the street. The two-floor establishment definitely has a cozy, pub-like feel--with lots of wood paneling, subdued lighting, Indian posters and Indian satellite TV--and there indeed is a bar, serving up a number of good draft beers (plus Indian Kingfisher Beer) in addition to cocktails and other drinks. However, the main attraction remains the very good Indian cuisine. The large selection includes dozens of beef, lamb, chicken, seafood and vegetarian entrees, with items like Butter Chicken (NT$350), Beef Korma (made with fried oinions and yoghurt sauce), Lamb Tikka Masala, Sag Paneer (pureed spinach with cheese), Tandoori Chicken Tikka, and Shrimp Madras (cooked in coconut sauce). Other interesting side orders include various samosas, kebab and tikka rolls, yoghurt-based Raita, and Indian yoghurt Lassi drinks.
	THE SPICE SHOP 1066, JianXing Road (04) 2327-2767 Hours: 11:30 am-2 pm, 5:30-9:30 pm No service charge. Credit cards accepted. The theme color here is a saffron orange, usually associated with Buddhist monks, which helps create a serene, pleasant aura. The exotic yet simple decor consists of a few Indian movie posters and Hindu religious pictures hung on the walls. One speciality here is the Samosa pastries (NT$60), a traditional Indian pastry appetizer made of handmade dough, cumin and tulip powder and stuffed with potatoes, peas and some vegetables. The British-style Chicken Tikka Curry (NT$250) features traditional Indian curry with the addition of tomato sauce to produce a warm, fresh flavor. Beef Curry (NT$220) is made with beef slowly cooked in the sauce--a thick, fragrant gravy that will definitely whet your appetite. Vegetable Jhalfrazie (NT$140) is another interesting dish, made with mixed stir-fried vegetables. Don't forget to order yourself a Lassi (NT$70) Indian yogurt drink after your meal. The Spice Shop also has a sister restaurant, Cacti Indian, located near the National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts at 22-1, CunZhong (TsuenJung) Street (tel. 2378-3710).
	KOHI-NOOR KING OF FOOD   60, BoGuan 3rd St. (04) 2326-1425, 0970-123-588 Hours: 11:30 am-2 pm, 5:30-10:30 pm Credit cards not accepted. No service charge.   Kohi-Noor labels itself as offering dishes from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh and its menu indeed does cover a wide range of large and small entrees from across the Subcontinent. However, the Pakistani owner excels best at providing basic, tasty, authentic dishes for reasonable prices in a no-frills, homey environment. Testament to this fact are the frequent Indian and Pakistani diners who hang out here. The menu includes curries, biryani dishes, roti rolls, samosas, pakoras, and various barbecue dishes. The various meat and vegetable roti rolls (NT$160) are particularly popular, as are the samosas. Good accompaniments include the range of naan breads--such as garlic, butter and plain--that the owner is proud of. With reservations, groups of six or more can also arrange Indian buffet meals starting at NT$399 per person. More recently, Kohi-Noor has also started selling Turkish ice cream (NT$80 for 3 scoops), which comes in various flavors. For drinks, there are various beers (including Kingfisher from India), plus the traditional Indian yogurt Lassi drinks (NT$80) in flavors like mango and apple.
Compass reminds you to not to drink and drive.