Standout service never supersedes the food when dining out, but I immediately felt good about my choice to visit Shanti Indian Cuisine’s location on a recent evening. Warm, smiling faces welcomed patrons.
The oldest of the restaurant’s three outposts (Roslindale and Cambridge), Shanti’s 1111 Dorchester Avenue location in the Savin Hill neighborhood opened in 1999. It’s open seven nights a week for dinner, serving a large menu with traditional Indian fare, Bangladeshi-style cuisine and a solid array of vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options for those with dietary restrictions.
Dining with a college friend, we started with garlic naan. The pillowy bread arrived at our table warm and freshly baked. Sometimes garlic kills my stomach. This did not. It wasn’t overpowering, just delicious. Shanti also gives each table a complimentary order of papadam, a crunchy, cracker-like snack served with a trio of sauces. I could’ve filled up on papadam alone. The slight spiciness and sweetness of the sauces create a diverse array of decadent bites.
I opted for Hyderabadi Biryani with lamb. Served in a molded shape a bit reminiscent of the school-lunch ice cream scooper mashed potatoes, although much, much, more appetizing, the dish contained plenty of perfectly cooked lamb. Not dry at all. I made a self-imposed error when I mixed in the large portion of yogurt sauce to try and break up the shape. The sauce overpowered some of the other flavors, and I’d recommend using it more sparingly. I’m a sucker for the sweetness of fruits and nuts with savory meat, so the cashews and raisins worked well for me.
Beli says 9.2.
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Greg Levinsky is a graduate Boston University. His work has appeared in The Boston Globe, Detroit Free Press and several outlets in Maine. He can be reached at [email protected]
