A vegetable platter served with fried octopus, a favorite menu item at The New Taj Mahal in the University District of Ohio State. Credit: Ian Bailey / Lantern Reporter

A vegetable platter served with fried octopus, a favorite menu item at The New Taj Mahal in the University District of Ohio State. Credit: Ian Bailey / Lantern Reporter

If Indian food is your flavor of the day, be glad to know that there are several options to sate your taste buds’ needs. The University District north of Lane Avenue is home to many establishments with different dining styles, both in-house and carry out, that cater to those looking for the Indian styles of cooking.

 

New Taj Mahal
The newest restaurant on the block is the New Taj Mahal. The locally owned establishment, located at 2361 N. High St., has been in operation for a year and a half and offers customers the choice to experience authentic Indian food in either a buffet-style setting or a sit-down menu setting. Aiyon Rakin, a waiter for the restaurant, said he has enjoyed working in this comfortable and relaxed environment.

“Everyone comes to chill here, and we see that our weekends are our busiest days as a result,” Rakin said. “But you can’t beat a place where you can come, test out and try different Indian foods and relax.”

The menu is composed of a selection of both Southern and Northern Indian dishes, most of which are prepared to go with the region’s staple food, rice. As a result, the chefs avoid strong flavors such as cumin powders and various masalas that would take away from the flavor of the dish. Ingredients such as mustard, green chilies and curry leaves lend their subtlety to most dishes to provide a balanced flavor one can truly enjoy.

But vegetables and rice aren’t the only choices you have.

“We also serve several different meat options, including tandoori chicken, lamb, goat and beef preparations that come from Mughal traditions,” Rakin said. “There are seafood dishes as well, such as shrimp, salmon and hilsa. But we pride ourselves on the fact that our dishes do not contain MSG, and the ingredients we use are completely halal.”

The New Taj Mahal opens its lunch buffet from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. every day of the week, and it reopens for dinner from 5 to 10 p.m. With a diverse menu and several different dining options to explore, as well as a 10 to 20 percent discount for Ohio State students who visit, it is a must-visit location in your excursion for delicious Indian food.

 

Chef’s at Curry and Hurry prepare and marinate their chicken to serve with their curry specialties. Credit: Ian Bailey / Lantern Reporter

Chef’s at Curry and Hurry prepare and marinate their chicken to serve with their curry specialties. Credit: Ian Bailey / Lantern Reporter

Curry & Hurry
In-house dining is not the only option available to students. If you don’t have the time to sit down and eat, you can still enjoy the savory flavors of Indian dishes from the comfort of home. Curry & Hurry, a staple of the Indian food options near OSU, has been in operation for more than six years and offers students North Indian traditional home-cooked food.

Mohammad Rahman, owner and restaurant manager, brought his family from Bangladesh to the Columbus area to help run the shop and give each home-cooked dish the love it deserves to be served with.

“Whatever we feel like would be cooked at home, we cook here and provide,” Rahman said. “We want all students to enjoy good, carefully prepared food. And after six years, we’re still doing good and love what we do.”

Curry & Hurry specializes in several different Indian-style options, including chicken curry, lamb curry, lamb biryani and vegetarian options. It provides lunch and dinner menu options, covering appetizers, meals and desserts for any time of day. What sets it apart from other establishments, however, is its carry-out only serving style.

“Students like to order online more often than coming in, and we deliver very quickly,” Rahman said. “We can sit small groups that come in to pick up their food. But we like to focus on our fast delivery more, as that’s what students want.”

To enhance its delivery service, Curry & Hurry has partnered with Moocho, a free mobile app that allows students to pay for meals and groceries to earn rewards. Through Moocho, orders to Curry & Hurry give students access to deals for ordering online, including free cans of soda and other options.

“Our customers have been good to us for all of these years, and we want to give back to them with these deals,” Rahman said.

Curry & Hurry is located on 2412 N. High St., just north of Maynard Street. It is open Monday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Friday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.