Chirag - Restaurant Reviews

Fragrant Flavors Of India...
Staten Island Advance, March 05, 2008

Curry Flavor
Staten Island Advance, March 29, 2007

By Pamela Silvestri ... Only a driven restaurateur sees promise with a handful of tables set in a tiny, sparsely ornamented space. Add a capable kitchen crew, dedicated service staff and, of course, decent food and the formula may click for the general dining public.

So with every quick slap of bread dough against the walls of an 800-degree tandoori oven, proprietor and executive chef Pardeep Kumar edges that much closer to becoming established at Chirag in West Brighton.

Optimistically, the Indian restaurant fits about 30 guests. Hardly any decorations hang on the walls, which is probably a good thing -- too much clutter would remind patrons of the peanut-sized dining room.

On the flip side, Chirag's menu is fairly extensive and big on spices. So big, in fact, aromas from coriander, cardamom and the kitchen's freshly ground curry powder cast a pleasant perfume outside the restaurant.

Meals start with gratis, warm pappadams on a plate -- tortilla-like wafer breads made from lentil flour -- that pack some heat. Cooling cilantro, tangy tamarind and sweet red onion relish are accompanying dipping sauces. A dab of these works well with the pappadam and a la carte, housemade breads like plain or garlic and oil brushed nan, puffed out puri, onion kulcha with bits of herbed, minced onion and alu parantha -- whole wheat flour bread tucked with a thin layer of potato.

For appetizers, platters such as meat, vegetable and a "chef's special" are ideal for two guests. But be mindful that some of these plate components -- tandoori chicken chunks and shish kebab, for instance -- may repeat themselves on entree dishes. Nonetheless, it gives a glimpse into Chirag's offerings.

Starters include onion bhaji, fried patties of crunchy onion slivers and chick pea flour. Flaky pastry dough of samosas wrap around ground lamb or potato cooked with fresh mint and coriander. Each triangular, little package rises to a perfect pointy peak.

Chicken Pakora translates to several fried, boneless chicken tenders dipped in chick pea batter touched with low heat from spices. Vegetables and paneer (kitchen-made, jacked-up cottage cheese) are options that are given the same fried treatment. Channa bhatura gives a break from fryer items with spice-stewed chick peas sprinkled with fresh cilantro. This partners with a crescent-shaped, bread puff.

Along with a bowl of basmati rice, entrees include seafood, chicken, tandoori specialties, slow-cooked lamb, beef or goat meat and stews focused on vegetable-cheese combinations. Spinach saag -- spinach puree with a choice of slow-stewed meat -- was great with tender lamb chunks but could be rather shy on meat. Sizzling tandoor mixed grill featured tikka chicken -- pink colored, yogurt and spice marinated chicken cut into parts, ginger-flavored ground lamb kebabs and tasty lamb cubes. Everything was consistently flavorful but kebabs were chewy on one occasion. Chicken chunks were sporadically dry.

Chirag presents lunch deals that average $7. Chef Kumar just introduced a neatly typed list of daily specials with pricing. Offerings most recently included mango chicken and nan baked with cheddar cheese and tomato.

The restaurant is BYOB at the moment but offers a few exciting beverages outside of soda. Chirag makes fresh squeezed orange and mango juice, a beautiful chai-like, herbed tea brew and lassis -- thin yogurt and buttermilk shakes touched with salt or sweet mango. Coffee (not decaf) is also available.

Desserts are enjoyable and all three are housemade. Warmed Gulab Jamun -- two orbs of fried, kitchen-crafted soft cheese -- wallow in a shallow pool of rose water-thinned honey. Forgive the gringo description, but they taste and look like super-sweet munchkin doughnuts and are decadently good. Rice pudding incorporates fragrant basmati rice with milk, cashews, raisins and almond slivers. Rasmalai are produced on a somewhat similar principle as Gulab Jamun with cottage cheese patties dunked in sweetened milk with pistachios and cashews.

As a rule, I disdain glass tabletops as they have great potential to be unsanitary. But Chirag appears to be mindful of keeping the dining room and tablecloths clean. Napkins stuffed into glasses and sugar caddies were part of the table settings -- these are unattractive details we hope will change.

We've paid several visits to Chirag over the last month to show support to a restaurant that enhances the borough's dining options. Each time Chef Kumar makes subtle but impressive improvements -- adding new garnishes, celebrating specials, personally working both front and back-of-the-house -- and we wish him much success.

Contact AWE restaurant critic Pamela Silvestri at silvestri@siadvance.com.

2 Stars

Chirag
1198 B Forest Ave., West Brighton; 718-273-8777

Hours
Monday through Thursday: 11:30 a.m.-10 p.m.;
Friday and Saturday: Noon-10:30 p.m.;
Sunday: Noon-10 p.m.

Dinner Prices
Soups: $2.99-3.50
Appetizers: $3.50-11.50
Entrees: $9.95-15.95
Dessert: $3.50

Food
Northern Indian

Liquor
BYOB

Credit cards
Visa, MasterCard, Discover, Diners Club American Express

Seating 32

Reservations Accepted

Take Out Yes plus delivery

Wheelchair access Awkward because restaurant is small

Ratings Key: 5 Stars: A rare find
4 Stars: Heads above
3 Stars: Valuable choice
2 Stars: Definitely pay a visit
1 Star: Has promise
Zero = Poor

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