Photograph courtesy of Anis Indian Hyderabadi Restaurant
Other nations have regional and local food styles, as we do, and a country as large as India has more than most. Fortunately, a desire to taste the offerings of Hyderabad, its fifth-largest city, takes only a journey to St. Charles County. Anis Indian Hyderabadi Restaurant, located in a lonely strip mall in O'Fallon, Mo., on Highway K about halfway between Interstates 64 and 70, has brought the cuisine close enough to avoid an airline ticket. The décor is pleasant and relatively subdued, though a television carries the Bollywood equivalent of MTV with interesting takes on non-food sensuality.
Freshly cooked pappadum arrive quickly, accompanied by a tamarind chutney, the first clue that Hyderabad is not Mumbai (once called Bombay). This is tart and spicy, with a good flash of heat. The menu, as in most Asian restaurants, is heavy with vegetarian options, and be sure to read carefully. Even St. Louisans familiar with Indian menus will find new items.
We began with chicken 65 and vegetables Manchurian. The former is a relatively new arrival on Indian menus, involving (usually) boneless pieces of chicken deep-fried or stir-fried in a spicy sauce. Vinegar and ginger also upped the flavor quotient, as did a few properly cooked jalapeno slices. In response to the question,“How spicy?” we replied, “We like spicy food,” and this was punchy but not on fire. Vegetables Manchurian were finely chopped vegetables held together with an unknown binder, perhaps cornstarch, and deep-fried, then tossed in a sweet-hot sauce studded with minced ginger and garlic. The result was slightly chewy but very different and flavorful.
Anis also offers idli, small, round, steamed cakes of lentil and rice flour, which came with a sesame sauce, a creamy tomato sauce, and a thin lentil soup, more for dipping than spooning up. A side dish, more for texture than for flavor.
We planned on the goat biryani. We like goat, and Hyderabadi cooks are proud of their biryani, the rice dish that's served at celebrations and which differs from place to place. Alas, sold out. Goat fry, a curry with onions and tomato, falling-off-the-bone tender, with some notes we couldn't identify, although fenugreek was back there and perhaps some kari leaves as well. The gravy was rather greasy, although this is not quite the sin in India that it is in Europe and America.
A Hyderabadi chicken curry was excellent, again meat on the bone (but skinless; always skinless in Indian kitchens, we're told), cooked until very tender, the sauce creamy from yogurt, a fine note of cardamom dancing lead. The rice was fresh and very fluffy, not overcooked. And the delicious naan was fresh, brushed with ghee to make it glisten.
More Hyderabadi on the dessert list, including kubani ka meetha, traditionally made from dried apricots, although this version tasted more like dried plum.
Pleasant touches like fresh mint in the frequently-refilled water glasses, stumbles when it took a stern tone to say we wanted dinner plates removed before dessert was served. All in all, good flavors, good value.
Anis Indian Hyderabadi Restaurant
Crossroads Plaza
2900 Hwy K, O'Fallon, MO
636-489-2647
Credit cards: Yes
Wheelchair access: Fair
Smoking: No
Entrees: $8-$14
By Joe and Ann Pollack
