Taj Mahal - Finally Indian food is back in Tyler *UPDATED

Taj Mahal



Taj Mahal is a new northern Indian/Pakistani restaurant in Tyler.  They haven't been open more than a month as of this post.  They are in the old Quiznos location off of Broadway/I-69 just south of the Brookeshire's.  They haven't done a lot of work to the exterior, but there is a nice patio that should be pleasant in the evenings.

The spread:  On their menu, the offer samosas, lentil soup and dumplings as appetizers.  They offer a variety of vegetarian options to include saag paneer, chan masala, and vegetable curry.  The meat options include chicken kadahi, chicken curry, beef dishes, lamb dishes and goat curry.  They also have a tandoori oven and offer seekh kabobs, tandoori chicken as well as different styles of naan (plain, garlic, sesame).  They also offer sweet lassi and mango lassi (a yogurt drink).  The dessert menu has a few traditional Indian style desserts.

The verdict:  First, let's start with the food.  I have had their saag paneer, chicken curry, lamb curry, mango lassi, plain naan and garlic naan.  The saag paneer consists of a mash of spinach and spices with chunks of cheese and was delicately spiced and quite tasty.  The lamb curry was a tomato based curry and again had a great rich flavor profile with just the right amount of spice.  The mango lassi has been a great drink - it has a nice sweetness and great mango flavor - and the yogurt element takes some of the edge off of the spiciness of the food.  The chicken curry was a great curry, but the chicken was not well prepared and was quite tough.  The first time I had their naan - which is a fresh baked flat bread, it wasn't very good - very doughy and not crispy.  The second time, I had garlic naan and it was very good, crispy, fresh and tasty.  I have tried their food many times since the first visit and the dishes range from excellent to inedible.  Their grilled items range from bad to I couldn't eat more than one bite.  They consistently have problems with keeping menu items available.  And although their curries are good, they seem to be a little monotone.

Edible Tyler Roses: 3 out of 5, it is great to have a new Indian place in town, but the service is consistently bad, the dishes are hit and miss.  You can find some great dishes and some awful ones.  Because of the limited choices in Tyler, I would recommend giving it a try.