Chicken Tikka Pizza, Anyone? Dhamaal in Montclair Serves Playful Indian Fusion

Is New Jersey ready for Indian-spiced pizza? The owners of Dhamaal, a new Indian fusion restaurant in Montclair, think so. After tasting the unusual pizzas, as well as some other unique creations on the menu, I agree. The mood at Dhamaal matches the menu; it’s modern, quirky and sensual. A flowering tree blooms overhead, and brightly colored umbrellas adorn the dining room.

On weekends, violinists stroll through the restaurant playing everything from Bollywood to hip-hop. It sounds corny, but it works. Even in the age of Instagram, this place is a visual feast.

The food is just as colorful and eclectic—fitting for a restaurant whose name means “mischievous” and “fun.”

Rubal Vekariya, one of Dhamaal’s four owners, is just 29 years old. Born in India, he moved to the United States when he was 13. His venture into the food business started when he and and his cousin Jaltej Patel opened a cell phone repair shop in Summit, and, when they couldn’t find Indian food nearby for lunch, decided to open their own place. Last year, they and two other cousins launched their Summit restaurant, Four Monkeys, hiring a Mumbai-born chef, Mahesh Pyati, who had more than 20 years of culinary experience, to head up the kitchen.

Almost immediately, Four Monkeys took off. A few months later, one of the cousins spotted a vacant restaurant in downtown Montclair and jumped on the opportunity They opened Dhamaal in May with 72 seats, and already, most days are fully booked.

A colorful mural adds vibrancy to the dining room. Photo: James Worrell

The menu is an expansion of the Indian fusion offerings at Four Monkeys. “We wanted to make the menu approachable for everyone, including people who weren’t familiar with Indian food,” says Vekariya, who lives in Elmwood Park.

Vekariya grew up loving Indian food but appreciating twists on tradition. His mother had attended culinary school and loved to experiment at home. That led to his interest in fusion cooking. Since the kitchen at Dhamaal already had a pizza oven, he and his cousins brainstormed the idea of Indian-spiced pizza. It may sound unusual, but it works. The chicken tikka pizza, one of four pies, is a delight, with a pleasing balance of tender chicken, creamy sauce and aromatic spices.

The menu can be confusing at first. It’s divided into appetizers (chota), classic Indian and tandoori dishes, fusion dishes (bada), lentil sides, Indian breads, and pizzas.

Kale pakora, or crunchy kale fritters, served on a ship-like platter. Photo: James Worrell

Dhamaal offers numerous vegetarian choices. You could begin with Rawalpindi channa chaat, a street-food dish made with chickpeas, tamarind, mint chutney and crispy papri chips; or kale pakora, crunchy kale fritters with two sauces, mint chutney and chili-peanut thecha, a spicy condiment popular in India. Both are perfect to share.

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Dhamaal’s playfulness is evident throughout the meal. Some serving dishes are shaped appealingly like a small ship. Ajwani salmon tikka, an entrée-sized appetizer, is served in a vintage steam iron. Under the lid are three delicately spiced, turmeric-redolent salmon fillets roasted in the clay tandoor oven. The restaurant has its own tandoor chef.

Ajwani salmon tikka, cooked in a tandoor oven and served in a dish that resembles a vintage steam iron. Photo: James Worrell

Dhamaal’s comforting classic Indian recipes ranged from mild Delhi butter chicken to hearty, slow-cooked goat curry. The Masala mapo tofu adds a touch of Indian brown spices to the beloved Szechuan chili and black bean sauce.

Like all Indian restaurants, the tandoori-baked breads, such as naan and roti, enhance the menu.

For dessert, we sampled the gulab jamun churros, an attempt at the long, thin Spanish donuts, which proved to be a skippable interpretation. Krazy Keri, a mango smoothie with a kick of cinnamon, is listed as a beverage, but makes a filling liquid dessert.

Dhamaal serves a pre-fixe brunch, featuring strolling fiddlers alternating with a DJ; Vekiraya himself sometimes does the spinning.

This team has creativity to burn. “We’re always experimenting with new concepts and dishes,” he says.

I have a feeling there’s much more to come from these cousins.

HOW WE REVIEW: Restaurants are chosen for review at the sole discretion of New Jersey Monthly. For our starred reviews, our critics visit a restaurant at least twice with a guest, always maintaining anonymity to avoid preferential treatment, and the magazine pays for their meals. Stars are assigned by the dining-section editor in consultation with the reviewer.

Four stars = extraordinary; three stars = excellent; two stars = very good; one star = good; half a star = fair.

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