Clay Oven inspires an Indian food crave

[Robin Garr]

Clay Oven inspires an Indian food crave

Filling and full of protein, made with plenty of optional spicy fire, dal tadka brings together yellow lentils, onions, and more in a delicious mix.


I have this funny reaction to Indian food: The minute I start thinking about it, I want to go get some.

The only issue is where to go! Louisville is currently blessed with enough good Indian eateries that I’d be hard pressed to declare one of them the local G.O.A.T. It would be like trying to pick this year’s Derby winner without a photo!

But I’ll say this for sure: Clay Oven in Middletown is a strong contender for the prize. It’s been a favorite for me since its arrival more than a decade ago, a place with such allure that I’ll go there even when I’m not reviewing.

Not only is the Indian food seemingly authentic, with a tilt toward the flavors of Northern India, but the large dining room in Middletown’s Eastgate Shopping Center, adjacent to Kroger, is attractive and comfortable. No complaints about service, either, which has been uniformly courteous and cordial.

What’s more, the menu is extensive even by Indian-restaurant standards. You’ve got about 120 items to choose among, divided into appetizers, soups, salads, clay oven (tandoor) specialties, chicken, lamg, seafood, and vegetarian options, Indian-Chinese dishes, rice-based dishes including biryani and pilaf, an array of Indian breads, Indian desserts, chutneys and other accompaniments, and Indian and American beverages.

Whew! Better still, pricing remains comfortably affordable especially in the current economy, with virtually all entrees priced in the lower to middle teens, and nothing that I could see costing more than $17.99.

I started my recent visit with a bowl of steaming tomato soup ($4.99). If you think that doesn’t sound Indian, hang on: This is not what you get from the familiar red-and-white can but something a lot more tasty and interesting. ...

Read my full review on LouisvilleHotBytes:
https://www.louisvillehotbytes.com/clay-oven-crave

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

Clay Oven Indian Restaurant
Eastgate Shopping Center
12567 Shelbyville Road
254-4363
https://clayovenlouisville.com
https://facebook.com/clayovenlouisville

Noise Level: The dining room was only partially full, and conversation was never a problem, with an average sound level at a gentle 52.7 dB.

Accessibility: The shopping-center space appears accessible to unassisted wheelchair users.

One of my favorites!

I miss the pre-pandemic era of Indian buffets in town. There were many, they were fairly priced (read inexpensive), the food was awesome, and I enjoyed making my rounds. Clay Oven had one of the best in my opinion.

[Robin Garr]

You're right! Clay Oven and Bombay Grill had exceptional buffets, in my opinion. I've gotten used to their disappearance, but I did like them at Indian restaurants in particular, because it's such a diverse cuisine and it was fun to discover more dishes in a sitting by taking small bits from different pans.

... it's such a diverse cuisine and it was fun to discover more dishes in a sitting by taking small bits from different pans.

Well stated!

On that note, Abyssinia on 5th St had a wonderful lunch buffet during the week of well curated Ethiopian food. I probably went there 30 times over the course of a few years. I remember when there were a few Thai and Middle East buffets in town as well.

[Robin Garr]

On that note, Abyssinia on 5th St had a wonderful lunch buffet during the week of well curated Ethiopian food. I probably went there 30 times over the course of a few years. I remember when there were a few Thai and Middle East buffets in town as well.

Yep, I'm pretty sure I reviewed Abyssinia. Speaking of buffets, in addition to Indian or Ethiopian, I wonder if breakfast buffets have also disappeared after the pandemic. I always thought they were a great way for a restaurant to make an easy profit, but I imagine Covid-19 made people wary.

Is there any Indian/Indo-Chinese/South Asian restaurant in town that has restarted its buffet?

[Robin Garr]

Richard, not that I know of. We tried a new place that had one, Paradise Indian way out Shelbyville Road. The buffet was okay, not spectacular, and I don't think the restaurant lasted even six months.

https://www.louisvillehotbytes.com/para ... ian-buffet

Is there any Indian/Indo-Chinese/South Asian restaurant in town that has restarted its buffet?

You may want to call first, but Dakshin had a buffet when I had lunch there about 2 months ago.

Is there any Indian/Indo-Chinese/South Asian restaurant in town that has restarted its buffet?

You may want to call first, but Dakshin had a buffet when I had lunch there about 2 months ago.

James, not sure if you are aware, but Dakshin has continued rumors of major abusive, criminal behavior towards staff, even after their 2017 legal settlement and their sale to purported “new owners” last December.

Here’s a link to a Reddit discussion from two weeks ago in which a person claimed to have worked at Dakshin and been illegally denied wages/salary, had their passport taken, threatened with violence, and made to work extreme hours for tips alone:
https://www.reddit.com/r/Louisville/s/l8FGhUR2Cz

Every discussion of Dakshin on the Louisville subreddit is full of people making claims along these lines, and that the “new ownership” is just a toothless PR move. Just an absolute ton of smoke around this place, even without getting into the settlement:
https://www.leagle.com/decision/infdco20171120b27

I leave it to you all to make up your own minds, of course.

Thanks Iggy.
I don't follow reddit so I was unaware of this.

Thanks Iggy.
I don't follow reddit so I was unaware of this.

Certainly, James!