Shalimar stands the test of time

[Robin Garr]

Shalimar stands the test of time

Straight from the scorching heat of the tandoor oven, skewered reddish-golden chunks of seasoned swordfish and crisp grilled veggies arrive sizzling like fajitas on a heated steel plate.


I fell in love with Indian food a mighty long time ago, when the curry houses that surrounded London’t Victoria Station offered me a delicious – and cheap – refuge while the very young me was seeing London on £5 a day.

But it took a lot longer before Indian food came to Louisville, a gap that Indian-food-loving friends and I had to fill, sort of, with occasional trips to the region’s only Indian eatery in Cincinnati.

That drought finally ended during the ‘90s, when Shalimar opened in the Hurstbourne Parkway quarters that it still occupies. As one of the first Indian restaurants in Louisville, it has earned a loyal following with consistent presentation of authentic Northern Indian cuisine.

Things have gotten better for aficionados of Indian fare since then, with at least a dozen good options to choose among and more on the way.

To be honest, with so many Indian options and always the excitement of something new, I don’t get back to the originals as often as I should. So when my brother, Matt, and my sister, Amy, were in town at the same time, Shalimar beckoned as a great destination for a good, affordable lunch for four.

The large shopping-center dining room aims for a sort of casual elegance with white tablecloths (under protective glass) and big brass chandeliers, attractive Indian art on off-white walls, and good white plates and stainless silverware.

The menu features northern Indian specialties, including a selection of dishes from the tandoori clay oven. You’ll find about 70 entrees, categorized in chicken, lamb, goat, seafood, and vegetarian dishes plus tandoori-roasted items and rice biryanis and pulaos. Prices range fairly closely from $10.95 to $14.95 for most dishes, with a house special biryani at $17.95, a tandoori mixed grill or vegetarian thali (sampler platter) for $19.95, and a meat-and-veg thali for $20.95. ...

Read the complete article on LouisvilleHotBytes,
http://www.louisvillehotbytes.com/shalimar-test-time

You'll also find this review in LEO Weekly's Food & Drink section today.
http://www.leoweekly.com/category/food-drink/

Shalimar Restaurant
1850 S. Hurstbourne Parkway, Suite 125
493-8899
http://louisvilleshalimar.com
https://facebook.com/ShalimarLouisville

Noise Level: The large room was only partly filled and not at all noisy; conversation was never a problem.

Accessibility: The shopping center dining room appears accessible to wheelchair users, but both entrance doors are heavy and require a strong pull.

There are other Indian restaurants in town that do certain dishes better, but when I don't know what I really want but I know I want every choice to be good or better, Shalimar is my go-to. Just consistent, and always has been.

[Robin Garr]

That's pretty much where I am too, Ron. It might not be my favorite Indian on any given day, but I know I won't go away dissatisfied.

A few years back I did some nanny work for an Indian mother who was a darn fine cook! She almost always fed me lunch or gave me some delicious meals to take home. I boo-hooed that I would starve without her wonderful cooking once they moved from town.
"Shalimar." she said. "Its the only place we eat out."
And she would know.

There are other excellent choices in the area, but Shalimar is still my favorite.

They really seem to have adapted to the new state of affairs when it comes to dining. We ate lunch there on Friday, and while there were only a few occupied tables they seemed to be doing a brisk delivery business. I saw at least 10 delivery drivers picking up orders while we were there.