Tarka Indian Kitchen brings Clay Pit cuisine, causal atmosphere to Sunset Valley

Tarka Indian Kitchen brings Clay Pit cuisine, causal atmosphere to Sunset Valley

By Eric Pulsifer Thursday, 01 October 2009

AUSTIN — Tarka Indian Kitchen, a counter-service Indian restaurant, opened mid-September in the Sunset Valley Homestead Shopping Center at 5207 Brodie Lane, Ste. 120.

While it would be easy to imagine a counter-service Indian eatery opting for speed over quality—particularly as anyone who has tried to prepare Indian food can attest to its notoriously long cooking times—the food at Tarka is on par with that of its popular sister restaurant, Clay Pit. Clay Pit regulars will recognize several of that restaurant's dishes on Tarka's menu.

But despite some similarities in menu, Tarka has more in common with Zen's fast-food style take on Japanese than a typical Indian restaurant.

At Tarka, patrons order as they walk in and take a number. While you'll be handling refills yourself, this more casual atmosphere, coupled with the speed at which the food is brought out, makes Tarka great for a quick lunch.

For those unfamiliar with Indian cuisine, Tarka is an ideal place to start. In fact, one of my fellow diners on my first trip to Tarka had never tried Indian food prior to our visit.

After stepping into the restaurant's boldly colored dining room, customers pass a wall with a menu and basic explanations of several dishes. Most meals are under $10, but a couple specialty items creep a bit higher. As with most Indian cuisine, vegetarian options are plentiful. Vegan dishes and those containing nuts are noted on the menu.

For starters, Tarka's menu includes two types of the naan—a flat bread similar in appearance to pita—original ($1.75) and garlic naan ($2). An order of vegetable samosas ($3.50), a pair of flaky pastries packed with potatoes and peas even the most picky of eaters are guaranteed to love, are perfect for two or can be easily split between four. For the slightly more adventurous, the curried mussels ($7.50) are not to be missed. While mussels may most often be associated with French food, these sauteéd shellfish in a creamy curry sauce are a Clay Pit signature dish. It's a satisfying meal in itself.

For the main meal, the curries ($7.25-$9.25)—a term for a variety of spiced dishes—allow for plenty of customization. Diners choose a curry (tikka masala, korma, saag, coconut, vindallo or mirch masala); an ingredient (chicken, lamb, shrimp, vegetables or paneer); a spice level (mild, medium or hot); and basmati or brown rice. My go-to curry, the Saag Paneer ($7.75)—a creamy dish of pureed spinach punctuated with sugar cube-sized bites of mozzarella-like Indian cheese—was just as rich and delicious as the type offered by pricier Indian eateries.

Instead of going for the standard soda or tea, opt for one of Tarka's more unique beverage options: Indian sodas Limca and Thums Up, the Indian equivalents of lemon-lime soda and cola respectively, or Tarka's refreshing mango lemonade.

Tarka offers dine in, take-out and catering. Beer and wine options are available. Call 892-2008 or visit www.tarkaindiankitchen.com.