Thali Too - New Haven, CT

Thali Too - New Haven, CT

A fun, hip spot for some tasty vegetarian Indian fare.

THE OVERALL RATINGS:

Food: Interesting, fresh, lively, piping hot, and satisfying. The curries that accompany some of the dishes make you want to dip your Naan in them. All dishes were really unique and complementary - a must for a "great" Indian experience.

Service: Quick and attentive. The language barrier can be a slight issue, but they will make sure they understand your request before they leave the table. Friendly, polite and welcoming - very good.

Ambience: Different than any other Indian restaurant I've experienced. Indian-inspired Hip-Hop is playing over the PA (sitars, doumbeks, and rap!). ESPN is projected on the wall over the kitchen. High black-metal-frame ceilings with spotlights give it the feeling of a once-and-future nightclub. Dim enough to be sexy; lit enough to be comfortable. A nice breath of fresh air from the standard overly formal and reserved Indian experience.

THE EXPERIENCE:

The Approach: When parking on a nearby street and walking up to the area, one notices a HUGE Apple store (with floor-to-ceiling windows and about 70 Yale students milling about). I was honestly sucked-in to the Apple store to play with the new hardware on the standard uber-clean wood tables. When the time of my reservation approached, I went around the corner and noticed the Yale bookstore, regal in its stature. Heading down a short alley, my friends and I found Thali Too to our right. We entered to find a veritable exhibit on spices in their entryway, which caught my eye. Entering the body of the restaurant, we were welcomed by a kind hostess and our ears were oddly excited by the interesting mix of Tupac with tablas.

Seating: We were brought to our reserved table, but a friend asked if we could sit at a nearby table instead. No problem! We were kindly accommodated. We were given clean, bright menus that had ample explanation of the dish beneath the name. This helped greatly, as many of the dishes were not the standard Indian restaurant fare. I recognized maybe 70% of the dishes (being happy that I knew what "Saag" and "Paneer" meant) but the English translation gave me more than just a definition of the terms. The table was clean and inviting, and our simple place settings gave a feeling of accessibility. ESPN was projected onto the far wall that I faced. The coolest effect was on the back wall inside of a humongous wood frame. The restaurant's title was projected via spotlight onto the brick face. You'll have to visit to understand how cool the effect was.

Food: For a table sharing appetizer, we ordered the Onion Bhajia - onion fritters with loosely gathered onion shavings and a mix of spices. The spice blend, combined with the tamarind sauce, was quite the savory force. It was just what I wanted to begin my exploration of vegetal Indian offerings. Piping hot, really fresh, and a nice, full-bodied flavor combination. For dinner, we shared Malai Kofta - a creamy curry lover's dream with soft "munchkin-like" dumplings. The curry was more than just cream though - it really did have a flavor that seemed carefully planned. Sabji Manchurian was really excellent - again, a "small dumpling, munchkin-like" protein amidst a great curry, but this curry definitely had more kick and body. The curry of this dish is the kind for which you order Naan to vacuum it all up. Tofu Sabji Jalfraize was a stir-fried chop of several vegetables combined with Tofu. While the vegetables seemed to be presented in vastly different states of firmness (an odd feeling to the mouth) the flavor was great and this was the "hottest" dish (in terms of Scoville Units, or "spiciness" to the wusses amongst us). But the heat was not an "uncooked, peppered-on" heat - it fit the dish, and did not overpower it. It was not hot for the sake of being hot, it was just flavorful good. The Masala Idiappam was interesting - it was really a starch offering, not a curry one. It was very thin vermicelli noodles that were tossed with cardamom, coconut, and some chiles, and it came with a small saucer of creamy ghee-abundant sauce with Mushrooms. My only complaint is that the dish is like ordering fried rice - its too dry to satisfy someone alone, but its great for a rice alternative for table sharing. The menu did not allude to its "dry side dish" or "dry underneath-a-curry" nature. Fortunately, our other three dishes were great atop it. The Masala Onion Cheddar Bread was a really nice take on the Indian Flatbread. Surprisingly, the "onion cheddar" flavor went really well with all the curries (I was expecting the combo to be too salty or strong). I ordered a Mango Lassi to drink and a friend ordered a Strawberry Lassi - both were thin enough for a "drink" yet flavorful enough for a change of pace amongst the other strong flavors. Our Raita came late (an oversight from our waiter) but he graciously took it off the bill. The Raita was delicately flavored and made a nice topping to the hotter selections.

Prices: It is almost impossible to spend more than $10 per entree. The breadlike selections are below $3.50; the Masala Idiappam (an unexpected side starch) was only $7. Four hungry people ate for approximately $55. Extremely affordable for regular restaurant-goers, perfect for the Yale students, which is the obvious aim.

Rating (out of 10): 8.8 (Very Good). I wished that the menu clearly delineated "dippable curry" vs. "dry starches" and that the textures were a bit smoother in the vegetable dish. But the food was great overall and the atmosphere was refreshing. Can't beat the prices.

Recommendation: For a fun, new take on the typically formal Indian restaurant ambience, go for a surprisingly good meal at a surprisingly low price. The Apple Store around the corner (or the bookstore next door) can easily satisfy any time you may need to kill before your reservation or after. A satisfying centerpiece for a fun New Haven night.


Blog-Wide Ratings Brackets:

9.25 - 10 - Outstanding; few issues if any. "10" might be impossible to achieve.

8.75 - 9.25 - Very Good; some small issues are present.

8 - 8.75 - Pretty Good; would still recommend you try it.

7 - 8 - Good; something might be lacking here.

5 - 7 - "OK" ; should the restaurant fix the issue, might be an underrated place.

1 - 5 - Not worth your time.

PLEASE NOTE:

Should the proprietor of any establishment wish that I remove an entry, contact me immediately.

Should the proprietor of any establishment wish that I comment on other dishes, invite me back! I am happy to bring my fiancee and try the full menu.

Contact me at apergiovanni@gmail.com with questions, comments, or suggestions.