Attention, Wicker Park hipsters: You no longer have to hike all the way up to Devon to get a decent chicken tikka masala or palak paneer. Say Namaste to Cumin, the long-awaited Indian and Nepalese restaurant on Milwaukee Ave. that opened in late May.
You'll find all of the traditional Indian dishes ( plus a few surprises ) , and none of the traditional décor. With sleek bamboo floors, high-backed leather chairs and oversized white serving platters, Cumin is decidedly modern.
But owners Sanjeev and Rajesh Karmacharya, Nepalese brothers who live in Wicker Park, did not forget to give a few nods to their homeland. The walls are doused in bold red, which is the color of Nepal's flag, and if you listen closely, you'll hear Indian music playing in the background.
You'll start your meal with a basket of deep-fried naan chips served with a trio of sauces. There's fruit chutney, plum sauce and an addictive green chutney made with mint, cilantro and ginger. Cumin has a full bar, a few Indian beers, and a basic wine list that includes some decent New Zealand whites.
Inside Cumin's leather-bound menu, you'll find a dizzying selection of chicken, lamb, seafood and vegetables in a variety of preparations: kebabs, curries, masalas, vindaloos, paneers—you name it. Skip the predictable vegetable samosas ( although they are just fine ) and opt instead for one of the appetizers from the small Nepalese section of the menu. You absolutely can't go wrong with the chicken momo, a popular snack often sold by street vendors in Nepal. These perfect little steamed dumplings are filled with minced chicken and a flavorful blend of spices and herbs, and are served with a tangy tomato-based Himalayan sauce.
You can indicate your spice tolerance when you order your entrée, and I—not being of the mind that eating dinner should be some sort of masochistic, hive-inducing endeavor—chose "mild." My dum aalu, potatoes stuffed with cottage cheese and cooked in a cashew-almond curry sauce, was wonderful. The potatoes were tender and the rich, creamy sauce had just enough Far East flavor to remind me I was eating Indian food, but not so much that it made my eyes water.
I also tried the shrimp saag, a shrimp and spinach stew cooked in a curry sauce. It was tasty enough, but the shrimp was a bit fishy. Next time, I'll take our waitress' recommendation and order the fish tikka masala—mahi mahi filets roasted in the tandoor oven, sautéed with bell peppers, onion and tomatoes, and simmered in a creamy tomato sauce.
The fluffy basmati rice that is served with most of the entrees will do just fine. But, if you're looking for a more exotic rice experience, Cumin has several biryanis, basmati rice cooked in spices and mixed with your choice of veggies, lamb, shrimp, chicken or even goat. The shrimp biryani was satisfyingly spicy, and topped with tiny bits of fried onion that did not go unnoticed by yours truly.
Of course, you'll find a Baskin Robbins 31 Flavors-style array of breads. Fluffy naan drizzled with garlic, crispy naan strewn with sesame seeds, naan stuffed with green chilies and Indian spices—I wanted them all. And I tried to get them all by ordering the assortment bread basket. However, our waitressing politely pointed out to me and my girlfriend that the basket is intended to feed five to six people, not, um, two. Shamed, we pared down our choices to just two: the classic garlic naan and the paneer kulchha, naan stuffed with cottage cheese. Both were warm, doughy, crisp on the edges, and made me wish I put my pride aside and ordered the whole damn basket.
But, since we heeded our waitress's friendly tip on the bread, we luckily had room for dessert. Rice pudding gives me the willies, but the cardamom- and pistachio-spiked version at Cumin was so good, I couldn't resist a few spoonfuls. There is also a delightful mango ice cream, which was at once creamy and fruity, and kind of reminded me of the Dreamsicles I loved as a kid. Glutton that I am, I also tried the gulaab jaamun, which is basically two fried donut holes soaked in saffron-rosewater syrup. It's a little too sweet, but definitely worth a bite or two.
I predict Cumin's going to be deservedly packed for months to come, so make a reservation or be prepared to wait—in which case, I'd grab a seat at the bar and order the assortment bread basket, no matter how many people are in your party.
