WHAT’S COOKIN’ RESTAURANT REVIEW:

Voted best in O.C., Niki’s offers authentic Indian cuisine

By Affad Shaikh, Contributing Writer

You might be thinking same old curry, same old naan - I will pass. I would roll my eyes and sigh in consternation, but do you know there is an Indian restaurant out there that was voted Orange County’s Best for People’s Choice in September 2003, and it is totally zabiha? Yes, neither did this food reviewer, until I heard about Niki’s Indian Food. Located in an inconspicuous business area of Santa Ana, cloistered in what resembles a World Food Fair- with sushi, Mexican, American and fast food joints all around it; Niki’s is not a place to fit a large party. It is decorated with hand-painted murals of Indian sights. Upon arriving at the restaurant, I thought I would put the award to the test and see if it is truly "the best." Walking in, I was impressed by the variety in the menu. If you are new to Indian food, the choices might seem a bit overwhelming but not to worry. The owner, Anjum, is an easygoing guy who will help you find what you want. Personally, what caaught my eye were the reasonable food prices and menu items, such as the Express combo and the family ‘Take Out Special’. The combo meals are served from a buffet counter. Although I am not a fan of Indian buffet, others can enjoy the paalak paneer (the spinach with cheese), samosas, biryani rice (a rice prepared with meat, yogurt and spices), and various other meat and vegetable curries. The samosa, which is a fried triangular bread stuffed with either chicken, beef or potatoes, was spicy, which is not normal for many Indian restaurants that cater to the American palate. Anjum, who hails from Karachi, Pakistan, took over the restaurant less than a year ago. It was his decision to make all the items "zabiha." He explained that what sets Niki’s apart from other Indian restaurants is the use of personally prepared spices as opposed to commercial prepackaged spices. I decided to take that challenge and ordered a separate dish of chicken tikka masala, chicken tikka and beef kabab, along with an order of naan and raita (yogurt dip) that were not offered at the buffet. The chicken tikka (tikka is chicken cut into small pieces) and the beef kabab are both prepared by being put on an open fire after being marinated. I enjoy eating these with chopped onions sprinkled with lemon, breaking off pieces of the naan to eat portions of the kabab or tikka. The spices did set them apart, but one important factor was the care with which they were prepared. The chicken tikka was moist and juicy, while the beef kabab was heavenly. It just melted in my mouth because of the tenderness of the meat and moisture; the taste had a distinct fresh ground coriander taste. The chicken tikka masala consists of the boneless tikka meat but added to a thick gravy of cream and marination. The richness of this dish was exquisite; however, for this reviewer’s palate, the taste was a bit too strong and was best complimented by the biryani rice that was prepared in a bland style with little spices and yogurt. Food worth waiting for is food well worth eating is how I see it. Good Indian food is differentiated by the special care put in preparing the spices and the style in which it is cooked; this is the hallmark approach at Niki’s Indian Food. This is most probably a significant factor to Niki’s being voted Orange County’s Best. The special ordered dishes were flavorful and did not cater to American palates but rather stayed true to Indian standards of rich and vibrant flavors from fresh ground spices. However, I also believe two other factors help Niki’s – simple menu choices, including the Express and Family take out specials, and the quantity of food served at a reasonable price. Get your Indian cuisine on and see if Niki’s lives up to People’s Choice recognition.