Life > March 27, 2008

By Chelsea Murphy | Staff writer

Indian food: It’s something you just can’t find at the Pit. Luckily, Winston-Salem’s own Turmeric Indian Restaurant and Bar has an abundance of it. Only a few miles separate university student from the sweet, sour and spicy combinations of rice, meat and vegetables intrinsic to Indian cuisine.

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While its menu is distinctly Indian, the dining “experience” ends there; aside from its cuisine, Turmeric Restaurant and Bar feels like just another restaurant.

Just pulling into the parking lot, the lack of ambiance becomes very obvious.

Turmeric is the last of a string of small shops and restaurants in a strip mall located just off Stratford Road, and it leaves a lot to be desired in decor and mood.

Firstly, the restaurant is dark. It’s not dimly lit, but actually dark, and it’s not very comfortable either.

The service is far from fast, and of the three waiters that tended to our table, only one was friendly.

That being said, each was extremely helpful in our endeavors to order, answering our questions and making great suggestions.

Though novice-friendly, the scene is not student friendly – every other patron was at least a decade my senior.

It was very quiet and did not appear able to accommodate large groups.

Another aspect that was not conducive to student-dining: the prices. The majority of entrees range in price from $12-20.

I assumed the portions would match the prices, but boy was I wrong.

Probably the most satisfying option on the menu would be one of the many variations on uttapam ($5.50-$7), thick rice dishes garnished with onions and seasoning.

Calling this thick would be an understatement. Picture an enormous pancake, a rich, starchy, filling meal – for around $6.

However, if you double the price, you’ll get half the food.

The majority of entrees consist of a bowl of white rice accompanied by a flavorful meat or vegetarian sauce.

A friend and I ordered the chicken tikka masala ($13.50) and chicken jalfrazie ($13.50), both of which were delicious and sweet but came in small portions.

While many sauces are used to mask fatty or dry meats, the chicken used in our dishes was moist and lean.

Turmeric’s meats may be high grade and highly varied.

There are a lot of goat and lamb dishes as well as chicken and seafood and there are a lot of vegetarian options.

Don’t let me fool you – if you’re looking for a hearty salad, Turmeric is not the place for you. The green salad ($2.50) is little more than a small vegetable platter.

One appetizer you don’t want to skip: the naan ($2.50).

There are numerous variations of naan, an unleavened pita-esque bread. Don’t skip the garnish either.

We chose to dip our two orders of naan in raitha ($1.50) a yogurt with diced tomato, carrot and cucumber, which was refreshing and complimented the dense bread nicely.

While it may surprise many, yogurt is a staple element in Indian food and is featured in many sauces and garnishes.

Another surprise is the abundance of homemade ice cream ($2.50) on the dessert menu at Turmeric.

Offered in mango, chocolate, pistachio and strawberry flavors, these sherbet-like dishes are a refreshing, light dish to cleanse your palette at the end of a meal.

So if you’ve chosen Turmeric either to explore Indian or to satisfy a craving for it, then take advantage of the entire menu and don’t expect too much from the service. In addition to its dinner menu, Turmeric offers a lunch buffet ($7.99) 7 days a week.

Turmeric will be good dining choice for fans of Indian food who have the money and the time to sit down. If you’re pressed for time, you may want to try elsewhere.

The service may be slow but they will be able to answer any questions which will be helpful for first time Indian food eaters.

Turmeric offers different cuisine but is just another restaurant.