| The exotic flavors of
Thai, Cambodian, Mexican, Italian, Chinese and Indian
cuisines may all be experienced during a trip to
Waltham's Moody street, which has become a suburban Mecca
for ethnic restaurants.
New Mother India one of the Moody Street's three Indian
restaurant, relocated up the street two years ago to
larger quarters and added the "New" to its
name. Although an increase in size often means a decrease
in quality, the "New" Mother India has
maintained the same high standards as the old.
The
restaurant's ambiance is one of owner Sham Sahni's
properties. Where as low budget decor and noise make many
ethnic restaurant into fast food experiences, one can
truly dine at New Mother India. The
sleek mauve and white decor, attractive wall-hangings,
good acoustics and attentive service all land to an
evening of peaceful conversation.For aficionados, the appeal of
Indian food lies in the variety of taste sensations
created by a confluence of spices such as cumin,
cardamom, turmeric and ginger. In many restaurants, these
combinations tend to result in the
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same
taste for all dishes. New Mother India, on the other
hand, offers the palate of variety of distinct flavor.
Appetizers provide perhaps the most interesting
juxtaposition of flavors. Pakoras (fritters made with
vegetables, chicken or cheese) and samosas (fried potato
and pea dumplings) come with a complement of sauces.
Tartly sweet tamarind, mint, onion and mango chutneys,
and achar (hot pickle) may be mixed and matched on the
plate with delicious results. A new addition to the appetizer
list is Kashmiri mushrooms, which are fragrant with
garlic, ginger, cumin and black pepper. Also out of the ordinary is the lentil soup,
with its tanginess resulting from a combination of garlic
and lime.
Several of the main
dishes are quite good, though one could easily make a
complete meal from the appetizers and Indian breads. The
breads and several meat dishes are prepared in the tandoor, a clay oven which gives them a wood coal aroma.
The tandoori mixed grill offers a sampling of chicken,
spiced minced beef and lamb.Ginger
is the predominant flavor in the Malai Kofta, vegetable
cheese balls in a light cream sauce with cashews. The
paneer do-piaza is another pleasant vegetarian dish,
consisting of homemade cheese pan roasted with onions,
tomatoes and spices. The
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Mother India
biryani, a
rice pilaf containing bits of tandoori meats, is a dish
in which the whole is less appealing than its parts,
which would have best been served separately.
Ice-cream lovers will be very pleased by the home-made
varieties served at New Mother India. Kulfi, a frozen
caramelized milk dessert made with crushed cashews, tops
the list. Also
top-notch are the mango, pistachio and cashew-raisin ice creams.
Other refreshing dessert
selection include kheer, a light rice pudding flavored
with rosewater, and rasmalai, a home-made cheese dessert
sprinkled with pistachios.
In addition to a wine and beer list, the restaurant
offers a selection of beverages which include lassi, a
yogurt drink, mango juice and milk shake, and a special
Indian tea prepared with milk and cardamom.
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