Restaurant review: Daawat Indian Cuisine
November 13th, 2009 by Brian Ries in Food and Drink, News, Sarasota-Manatee
Daawat Indian Cuisine
3.5 stars
239 S. Links Ave., Sarasota, 366-4433 or daawatcuisine.com
At the beginning of 2009, Sarasota had one Indian restaurant, Tandoor, the only game in town for a very long time. Now, as 2009 is coming to a close, the local Indian cuisine scene is chock-full of options, with two new restaurants open since the end of the summer. Gateway to India — on Hillview in the Southside dining district — featured a surprisingly tasty lunch buffet and capable dinner, different and a bit better than the fare offered at Tandoor.
And now that Daawat is here, in the space formerly occupied by Canvas Café in downtown’s Towles Court art district, it appears that Sarasota has taken another step in the right direction.
Admittedly, the location gives Daawat an edge over its competition. Towles Court is one of downtown’s last unspoiled pieces of old Florida, a group of bungalows and craftsmen houses away from the bustle of the business district. Housed in one of those converted houses, Daawat’s dining room is a tiny shoebox, easily ignored thanks to two wonderful outdoor spaces. Both the front patio and side courtyard are now covered, with plastic walls that can be rolled down to protect against rain or chill, all with views of the pastoral setting.
Daawat’s food also seems to have settled into the aura of the location. At lunch, instead of a buffet crammed into a corner of the patio, the restaurant offers a limited menu of entrées that automatically come with soup and curried vegetables. The pace is relaxed, almost stately, though still timed to get you out before your lunch hour is over. And despite the under-$1o price tag, the food has grace to spare.
Vindaloo is rich, the sweet tomato blending seamlessly with subtle seasonings in a way that smooths the rough edges of a typically rustic and spicy dish. Fish masala is positively elegant, the saffron-tinged sauce creamy but light, brightened by a hit of tomato paste.
At night, there’s a much bigger selection that covers all of the typical Indian restaurant standards, along with a few variations that can spice up a meal. Daawat has more skill with the deep-fryer than most of its competitors, which means that the veggie pakora fritters are crisp and light instead of heavy and sodden, and the giant samosas hit the table with a beautiful crust of golden-brown dough. They taste great, too.
Daawat’s grasp of the grilled meats of Tandoor is competent, if not as accomplished as that at Gateway to India. The chicken is moist, the kebabs are heavily spiced and the lamb has a nice crust, but, if you must pick one, stick with the shrimp, which are surprisingly well-cooked.
Better still, choose one of Daawat’s entrées, which range from elegant and composed to hearty and rustic. Chicken Hariyali Masala comes doused in a heady blend of puréed mint and cilantro, the herbs easily balancing the heaviness of the heavy, spiced sauce. A heavy hand with ginger, chopped onion and peppers lends Bhuna dishes a rustic heartiness that’s shows Daawat’s chef has good emotional range.
That’s even more apparent in the lamb saag, a combination of stewed meat and rich spinach. At most places, this dish is a uniform green from top to bottom, consistently smooth. At Daawat, it’s a mash of dark, caramelized bits, chunky cubes of meat, and yes, the green of spinach. It’s an exciting combination of flavors and textures, powerful and vibrant.
But not spicy. Order something “hot” and the chef’s more restrained style asserts itself with a tentative hand, resulting in a level of heat that’s closer to medium, or less. Order medium? Don’t even bother — in some dishes it’s nigh undetectable. And service at Daawat still has some serious issues. On two separate occasions, it seemed clear that our servers were barely trained amateurs, with little knowledge of the menu. Hopefully, that will get worked out over time.
Since Daawat opened, dozens of people have asked me which of our current crop of Indian restaurants is the best. It’s not that easy; it depends on where you live, what you like to eat and what sort of atmosphere you’re looking for. It hinges on history and tradition, or a desire for the new.
Naw, I’m just kidding you. Although we’re still waiting — and may be waiting in perpetuity — for a world-class Indian spot to open here in our sleepy hamlet, Daawat has raised the bar for its competition, easily serving the best Indian food in Sarasota.
Photo by Christina Ostrye
November 18th, 2009 at 4:25 pm
Quite to the contrary of this review, we found Daawat to have quite pedestrian Indian food (easily eclipsed by Tandoor). By the way, although sauces at Gateway to India were good, the meat seemed to have been added at the last minute — vs. being simmered in the sauced long enough to ‘embed’ its flavor. As they say, “de gustibus non disputandum.”
November 18th, 2009 at 7:09 pm
As they say indeed, Doctor, there is no use arguing taste. That’s why I’m very glad we have three Indian restaurants to choose from, instead of just one.
November 22nd, 2009 at 12:35 pm
As usual your taste is in your shoes! Most people who read your reviews know this. Thank God for Tandoore! I have tried all 3 and still think it is the best! How do you know how Indian food is supposed to taste! Have you been there?