Reviews of Darius, Shiva, Maharadscha.
Darius Buttermelcherstr. 21, Munich Tel/Fax: 21 93 83 13 Hours: Mon.-Fri., 8-20 For those who work in the city and have a limited lunch break, the choice of cuisines becomes tiresome quickly. Döner, pizza, burgers and belegte Brote fulfill the time requirement but their quality leaves much to be desired. Well, for those of you lucky enough to be in the area between Gärtnerplatz and the Viktualien Markt, have we got some good news for you! The Persian café and bistro Darius, on the Buttermelcherstrasse offers delicious, homemade meals at incredibly reasonable prices, served up fast. Persian cuisine is savory and well-seasoned, but not spicy hot. Traditional ingredients may include: dill, tomato sauce or plums. It is not fast food — most recipes require a long time to prepare and cook. Still, owner Monir Mehrbod prepares a different hot main dish every weekday, mostly with lamb, occasionally with chicken and always with a variation of wonderful Persian safran rice. Finely diced tomato-cucumber salad and yogurt, with or without garlic, are the typical accompaniments. For those a bit skeptical of lamb, you’re safe here. The meat is of high quality — extremely tender and mild with no gamy taste. Just ask the owner to show you what she’s offering that day and she’ll make you a heaping plate for only DM 10, including yogurt and salad. A variety of appetizers and smaller dishes like Kuku, a potato pie, ground beef kebabs or eggplant puree with bread are also available if you’re in the mood for something light. These range in price from DM 5 – 10. There is no seating, so you’ll have to enjoy your meal while standing at one of the marble bistro tables in the nicely decorated space — or order to go. Food 10, Service 10, Atmosphere 8. Maharadscha Blutenburgstr. 15, Munich Tel. (089) 18 56 04 Hours: Mon.-Fri. 11:15-14:30; Mon.-Sun. 17:30-23:30 If you are going to eat Indian, you have to be prepared. The kind of Indian food you get in Munich is not for the weak of palate. It is neither bland nor glibbery, like such Bavarian favorites as Spanferkl (grilled piglet), nor has it been modified to suit the regional taste — the unfortunate fate of so many seemingly promising “ethnic” restaurants in Munich. Real Indian food is the sum of the spices with which it is made: coriander, turmeric, chili, cumin, cardamom, fennel, cinnamon and ginger, to name a few. Authentic Indian food is the reason Maharadscha continues to thrive. The new owners of this unpretentious restaurant in Neuhausen have raised take-out food to a new level. With nearly 90 choices on the menu, from soups to special mixed platters, vegetarian dishes and curries of every kind, the menu accommodates every frustrated non-cook after a hard day at the office. Delivery is prompt and friendly, the food always piping hot. Especially worth trying are the lentil soup (DM 6), a spicy concoction which is good even on a warm summer night, and the chicken jhalfrezi (DM 19) with aromatic basmati rice. If you are a newcomer to Indian cuisine then a good introduction is the thali for two. This mixed platter features two meat curries, two vegetable dishes, dal, or vegetable gumbo, raita, a refreshing cucumber and yogurt salad, and a variety of Indian breads (DM 50). Indian food fanatics who crave dishes not found on the menu are in luck. If you can describe it, the people at Maharadscha will listen, and usually, they will make it. If it is Nepalese or Tibetan food you crave, they have that, too. A visit to the restaurant will likely reward you with interesting conversation about various regions of India, Afghanistan, the Himalayas, and, certainly, fine cuisine. Food 10, Service 10, Atmosphere 8. Shiva Augustenstr. 96, Munich Tel. (089) 523 28 88 Hours: daily 11:30-14:30 and 17:30-23:30 In the Hindu sacred triad — which also includes Brahma and Vishnu — Shiva is the god of destruction and regeneration. Adapt this to your personal situation, and you may think of this restaurant as a respite from the modern-day triad of getting up, going to work, and then coming home to eat. If the first two routines tend to break you down into a shriveled mass, then plan on visiting Shiva when you are ready to hit number three. The atmosphere relaxes, and the warm, helpful staff guides those navigating an Indian menu for the first time. Perhaps one of the tastiest items on Shiva’s menu is chicken tikka (DM 20), prepared in traditional tandoori fashion, in a cylindrical clay oven over charcoal. If you prefer a vegetarian meal, the tasty allu gobhi, a dish made from cauliflower and potatoes, is a sure bet. A good, simple appetizer to order is nan bread (DM 3) which comes with a variety of dips, including chutneys and mint sauce. Mango crème (DM 6), makes for a light, cool dessert. Food 9, Service 9, Atmosphere 10. <<<