A Daring Night At Dhaba Restaurant

After attending Exhale Spa's Namaste event, in which free yoga and food were provided, we were given coupons to use at Dhaba Restaurant, which had donated delicious food for the evening. I was excited to try a new restaurant, especially one nearby which looked vegan-friendly. The menu items were enticing and a little different from the typical fare I'm used to. My friend and I ventured to Dhaba last week to try it out. We were welcomed by a friendly staff and taken to the elegant patio, which was quite daring on the chilly night, yet so worth it.

We began the meal with a complimentary appetizer brought out by our waiter: Pappads (normally cost $2).

The pappads were light and airy and very crispy. They had a lovely lentil flavor. The accompanying dip was sweet with a subtle spiciness.

Next, we had the Pakoras ($5).

The pakoras were delicious and so much smaller that the ones that I'm used to. They were assorted vegetables deep-fried in a scrumptious, spicy batter. They were crispy and crunchy and were very flavorful, especially with the addition of the sauces.

Next, we had the Coconut Vegetables ($10).

This dish was delicious. The sauce was moderately spicy and rich and creamy. It had a lovely coconut flavor, with a subtle taste of tomato. The cauliflower, carrots and green beans were well cooked and were soft and delectable.

Next, we had the Thali Vegetarian Dinner ($13).

The dinner came with daal, Baingan Bhurta, kachumber salad, a mushroom dish, and rice. The daal was my favorite part of the combination plate, as it was very hearty and had a lovely mixture of spices. Not being a fan of mushrooms, I tried a small amount of the dish, which was still quite tasty, despite the dominance of fungal pieces. The kachumber salad was light and refreshing and the Baingan Bhurta had a lovely sauce composed of tomatoes and ginger on juicy pieces of eggplant.

We also added some Roti to the Thali ($1).

The roti was excellent. The bread was nice and chewy and coated in a thin layer of oil. It had a very light seasoning and absorbed the flavors of the food very well.

Overall, the meal was fantastic. The dishes were all very flavorful and tasted authentic. With the $10 off coupon we used (which required a minimum of $20 spending), the meal only cost $26 (with tax and tip). It was a very good deal and we were beyond stuffed, with some wonderful leftovers for the next day. I cannot wait to eat at this gem of a place again.