Maharaja Restaurant

Atfirst glance Maharaja's menu looks a lot like its competitors, with all the usual items like mulligatawny soup, tandoori chicken, vindaloo, biryani and baked flatbreads. But the menu goes well beyond the ordinary, and if you want a truly authentic and spicy vindaloo, this is the place. The menu page titled "South Indian" is where Maharajah provides a different dining experience. Uthappams are Indian pancakes and dosai are thinner crepes. Both can be eaten with a variety of toppings and fillings. One intriguing item is dahi vada ($5.95). Dahi means yogurt, which comprises the sauce. It has a tartness missing in the commercial U.S. product. Vada, or vadai, is a donut made with ground lentil, giving it the texture of cracked wheat. Pullav is the Indian equivalent of pilaf, made with the firm and long-grained basmati rice. Curd rice ($7.95) comes with a yogurt sauce and sprinkling of black mustard seeds common in South Indian cookery.