CHEAP EATS UPDATE: HURRY CHUTNEY
97 Route 206, Somerville
From its green-and-white modern logo to its reddish-orange walls to its stylish lighting, Hurry Chutney has the look of a hip chain, like a Baja Fresh of India, perhaps. It’s actually a one and only, and the quality of its food often surpasses that of many fancier, full-service Indian restaurants. Hurry Chutney, in fact, is a destination eatery for the local Indian community. The menu has sections for rice and noodle dishes, tandoori dishes, breads, curries, vegetarian and non-vegetarian appetizers and entrées—and, for a soothing finish after this festival of spice, desserts, including rice pudding cooked with cardamom and saffron.
One outstanding starter is the trio samosa ($5.95)—three packets of flaky dough filled with lamb, chicken or potato, served with mint chutney and tamarind chutney. Also recommended are paneer kati rolls ($9.50)—soft yet almost crispy paratha bread filled with mildly spiced cheese curds and red onion—and dahi puri ($4.95)—spicy sweet-and-sour potato-chick pea chutney sandwiched between thin lentil crackers.
Incomparable chicken tikka masala ($9.95) has just the right balance of tanginess and spice in its light tomato sauce. Other exceptional entrées include spicy chicken Manchurian ($9.95), an Indo-Chinese hybrid, and goan fish curry ($11.95)—chunks of delicate tilapia enveloped in a mellow tamarind sauce. The adventurous might try goat haleem ($11.95), simmered in rich cinnamon-and-ginger flavored gravy. The tandoori oven turns out deliciously smoky lamb, chicken and seafood. Spiciness can be toned down on request. (888-CHUTNEY; hurrychutney.com)