India Palace, Chelmsford and Nashua

There's not much in the way of decent ethnic food out here in the barren bowels of Middlesex county. We're close enough to Lowell, and Lexington, I guess... two of the rare oases in the vast taste desert of suburban metro northwest. Nashua and Salem, New Hampshire, are certainly close enough for a family night out, but the southern third of the Granite State is a wasteland of chain-restaurant over-proliferation. And if you stop somewhere up there that's doesn't pledge allegiance to a franchise, it's likely owned by a clueless someone trying to mimic one.

The India Palace locations in Chelmsford, MA, and Nashua, NH, share a colorful decor filled with funky, really cheap Indian artifacts. Photos pilfered from India Palace website.

Well... sometimes we do have to eat while up in NH on a beer run: fortunately, we lucked onto a rare jewel in Nashua, the India Palace--in the same obscure strip mall as the former Osaka Tea Garden, just past Daddy's Junkie Music and Newbury Comics on Daniel Webster, heading south. It's a small place, kind of homey mom and pop. It's usually quiet, with many families and couples and about half the clientele Indian (had a different name when it first opened, 'Mahalmed', or something). Everything rocks, the food, the service and the prices. It's right next door to an Indian grocery to boot, convenient in case I need to reload on Hot Masala Pepper sauce, Tikka spice, or hunt down the odd Indian ingredient.

After a few years and at least a half-dozen positive experiences, May heard the same folks opened a place in Chelmsford, in yet another tiny obscure strip mall, on Rt.110 near the Westford line, in the space formerly occupied by the Chinese restaurant, Panda Wok.

Both places are outfitted with authentic clay Tandoor ovens and the aroma nails you before you hit the door. Over the years, we've tried a lot of dishes, my favorites; Swordfish Tikka Masala, and Lamb Bhuna--a spicy dark red stew of lamb kabobs, pepper and onions. May swears by any of the shrimp dishes, while the resident teenager loves the Chicken Tikka; boneless spiced kebobs served on a sizzling cast-iron platter with grilled veggies. (For Marii to eat Indian spiced anything is a major accomplishment the India Palace can be proud of.) I've tried a number of their Tandoori entrees, including the 'Mixed Grill', A delicious combination of chicken, lamb, seekh kebab, and shrimp... cooked just right the time I tried it. The major disappoinment, both places... the fried veggie Samosa appetizer. This is the one thing I don't believe is freshly made, or at least was frozen before the day it was used. It just had that freezer hangover taste and texture. You know what I mean... too bad, 'cause I love those 'botatoes and bees'. Their nan bread is among the best I've tried, for some reason especially yummy at the Chelmsford locale.

Many of the waitstaff are English challenged, but that in no way prevents them from providing excellent and attentive service. We've never had to wait more than few minutes at the the Nashua location and never in Chelmsford.

Haven't yet visited the third India Palace location and probably never will until we figure out some reason to visit the butt-ugly mill city of Manchester besides the highway that passes through it.

Rating: A delicious 3.5 out of 5.0 Fresh Tomato Salads