COMESTIBLOG

Stamford's tawa Curries Favor

When I expressed my disappointment with Stamford's Olé Molé to my friend at the Vitamin Shoppe across the street, he suggested I try tawa, just a couple of miles down High Ridge Road.  (Driving directions were complicated by the restaurant's location: in a row of shops on a one-way segment of a tangled intersection at which Route 137 changes street names from High Ridge Road to Cold Spring Road, and meets Long Ridge Road (Route 104), Summer and Bedford Streets—an area known as Bulls Head.  Got it?)

Most Indian buffets I've sampled over the past several years have failed to impress.  Dishes prepared with stale ingredients would be typically allowed to desiccate in their warming trays to the point at which they were suitable for astronaut consumption.

Tawa, however, represents a welcome departure from the foregoing scenario.  Its recipe for a successful buffet includes fresh ingredients and a limited, but well-chosen, selection of hot dishes.  The turnover at lunchtime ensures frequent replenishment of the steam trays so that each dish tastes as though it had been prepared to order.

The spices are uniquely bright in aroma and flavor, suggesting they may be ground on the premises.  This alone makes every dish exceptionally tasty.  Nevertheless, there was one standout among all the offerings: the Kalmi Kabab (marinated chicken wings and drumsticks).  Unlike most chicken cooked in a tandoor (clay oven), this one was was succulent, tender, and delicious.

Incidentally, the name tawa (tah·vah, rhymes with ça va) refers to a pan or griddle used in the preparation of breads, or roti.  A few of the eponymous cooking implements adorn tawa's dining room walls.

Though the price of the executive lunch buffet was increased from $9.95 to $11 this year, it still represents a good value.  In addition, every sixth lunch is free with a lunch club card.

tawa

19 High Ridge Road
Stamford, CT   06905

Executive Lunch Buffet:  Mon-Fri, 11:30 A.M. to 2:30 P.M.; Sat & Sun, 12:00 Noon to 3:00 P.M.

(203) 359-8977
(203) 359-8978

http://www.tawaonline.com/

By bus: 31, 32

Condiments and Salad

Chicken Tikka Masala (chicken chunks in a creamy tomato sauce) / Khada Masala Ghosh (lamb curry with cilantro and garam masala)

Masala Vada (deep-fried lentil dumplings) / Kalmi Kabab (tandoor-roasted chicken)

Vatana (white peas) Masala / Saag Paneer (spinach and cheese with onions and a touch of garlic)

Rice / Aloo Kathal Curry (lightly curried potato and green jackfruit)

Dessert: Rasgulla (soft cottage cheese)

Wash it all down with a Mango Lassi (a yogurt drink with mango pulp).

Norwegian Seamen and Salmon

Sjømannskirken, the Norwegian Seamen's Church, describes its business lunch as "one of New York's best-kept secrets."  On the first Wednesday of each month—from September to June—the church presents an all-you-can-eat luncheon buffet featuring a delicious smorgossbord, a Norwegian hot meal, hot and cold beverages, and dessert.  All this for $20 (the price was increased by $2 this season).

If you're a salmon aficionado, this monthly event is practically a requirement.  In addition to its three cold, smoked preparations, the fish is also presented warm—in a soup and as a baked fillet.  What a delicious way to add Omega-3 fatty acids to your diet!

The dining room's dress code is casual; attire ranges from jeans to suits.  Come as you are, but do so early to secure a seat—these business luncheons can become somewhat crowded.

 

The Norwegian Seamen's Church

317 East 52^nd Street (between First & Second Avs), Turtle Bay, Manhattan

Business Lunch:  First Wednesday, 12:00 Noon to 2:00 P.M., September to June

(212) 319-0370

http://www.sjomannskirken.no/newyork

By train: E,V to Lexington Av/53 St (exit at Third Av)
By bus: M15, M27, M50

 

The peppered, smoked salmon is my overall favorite!

A New England Breakfast Haunt

Although many retailers would have us believe it's Christmastime already, let's try to remember that the fall foliage season is just peaking in parts of the Northeast and that Hallowe'en is still two weeks away.  There'll be plenty of time for sleigh bells later.  But for now, why not rejoice in the splendor of the turning leaves and the forthcoming harvest they portend?  Should your weekend leaf-peeping take you through the hills of Western Massachusetts, consider a prandial visit to High Hopes Farm in Worthington.  Nestled in the foothills of the Berkshires, this rustic maple sugarhouse is an ideal starting point for a foliage-viewing jaunt.

Every spring and fall, the Rowe family presents their All-you-can-eat Sugarhouse Buffet ($9.95 for adults), a fortifying breakfast spread featuring pancakes, French toast, scrambled eggs, home fries, bacon, ham, sausage links, and, of course, their own pure maple syrup.  There are also English muffins and toast (with which to sample their maple cream and Indian sugar) as well as orange juice, coffee, tea, milk, and hot chocolate.  No one should leave hungry.

 
Beware of one thing, however: the place is haunted.  Well, sort of.  In the fall, young Caleb Rowe employs his decorating skills to fashion a haunted sugarhouse to be entered "if you dare."  Look out for the various spooky adornments—the young man has quite an imagination!

The exit is strategically situated through the gift shop, by the cashier.  Browse the numerous maple products as you contemplate your Christmas list.

 

High Hopes Farm

1132 Huntington Road (Route 112)
South Worthington, MA   01098

Saturdays and Sundays, 7:00 A.M. to 2:00 P.M.
27 September through 9 November

(413) 238-5919
(413) 222-5919

http://www.highhopesmaple.com/

 

Please click on the image above for a larger view of the menu.