Lynnwood, WA

If you only went to one restaurant that I ever recommended, this is one restaurant you must go to but only if you love spicey food. The India Cafe serves the most amazing Indian food I have ever had the pleasure of savoring and encompasses the very trait that fell in love with Indian food for. Good Indian food should have musical flavors. The spices should be melodious and harmonious all in one bite.

My absolute favorite dish is the Chicken Dopiaza. This dish contains chicken, marinated in yogurt and spices overnight, and barbecued before being placed in a spicy, onion-y sauce of blissful spices. This dish is super spicey so if you’re sensitive to heat, I wouldn’t recommend you eat this as there is an element of napalm and your mouth will burn for awhile. The napalm is required as it adds to its deliciousness.

One of the greatest thing about this restaurant is that you won’t simply see the normal Chicken Korma, you will see a variety of dishes you have not seen at other restaurants but it has the normal, comfortable, trusty Indian food people like.

The staff are attentive, ready to refill your bowl of rice and your half-empty glass of water. Neither my boyfriend, Mikel, or I could drink our glass half-empty before it was refilled. For me, this is normal, for Mikel, the infamous water-drinker, this is amazing. The amount of service provided was nice and it wasn’t too much.

The restaurant, although nice enough on the inside, is located in a run-down part of town in a building that almost looks abandoned from the outside. Across the street from this restaurant is an old Comp USA store no longer in business as well as other dead stores. I almost didn’t go in this restaurant on the first visit because of how sketchy things looked on the outside. One should know you can’t judge a book by its cover because I was so wrong about this restaurant.

While their food is amazing, the prices on the “Indian food accessories” (naan, raita, chai tea…) are expensive. If you read my critique on the Curry House, you’ll see that I prize this restaurant for its inclusion of the Indian food accessories in the price as well as the little pot of tea they provide. You’ll also notice that I mention that I didn’t like it when other restaurants merely give you one cup of tea and charge you 2.50, this is a restaurant that does it. While India Cafe is generous with ice water, it is not so with tea and naan.

If you’re in Lynnwood, you really really need to go to the India Cafe. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate good Indian food and how rare I think it is to find the blissful goodness.