THE BEST DUM ALOO EVER
Dum Aloo (Vansh A. Gupta | Siliconeer)
There is a slew of Indian restaurants in the San Francisco Bay Area, but only a handful attract the taste buds of the extremely foodie Indian population. Milan Indian Cuisine is a fine dining restaurant in the heart of Silicon Valley that brings the flavors of the east to the west, write Siliconeer foodies Vansh A. Gupta and Rohan Kumar
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Milan Indian Cuisine
420 S. Main Street
Milpitas, CA 95035
Reservations: (408) 945-7575
www.MilanIndianCuisine.com
North Indian & Desi Chinese
Cost: $$. (Items under $20)
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Rating: ✯✯✯✯½
✯✯✯✯✯ | Extraordinary
✯✯✯✯ | Superior
✯✯✯ | Good
✯✯ | Mediocre
✯ | Poor
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Points
Ambience: ✯✯✯✯✯
Service: ✯✯✯✯✯
Taste: ✯✯✯✯✯
Price: ✯✯✯✯
SCORE: 95%
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Milan’s cuisine features an abundant collection of vegetarian and non-vegetarian delicacies. Indo-Chinese, tandoori, chaat, sizzlers, appetizers, traditional and fusion entrées, and breads, the list is long. As we embark on our journey into exploring sumptuous Indian cuisine in the SF Bay Area, both of us received a warm welcome and a handshake from the head chef, Sanjay Patel. That set the course to what was a gastronomically fascinating experience from the moment we stepped into the eatery.
The rest, as they say, is a delightfully concocted creation of the chef and his team.
First Impressions: The mood sets right in with the lighting of the room and its elegant décor. It was fancy and yet not intimidating. With soothing music and nice air-conditioning, Milan has a very pleasant and relaxing feel to it; just the kind needed to relish a tasty meal.
Service: We were seated quickly at a perfectly set table with a jug full of chilled water and a decorative flower as a centerpiece. The waiters were attentive during the whole experience. We were happy to see the waiter recommended the best dish based upon request for something spicy. The waiters knew how to keep the guests comfortable. We loved the fact. We got crispy papadums
in the beginning of the meal, complementary, and a warm towel to freshen up, added with a mint chocolate to sweeten the taste buds at the end. Well done, Milan!
The Drink: Milan Sunset Surprise drink was actually a surprise and resembled a California sunset. It consisted of lychee and mango juice, as well as grenadine. The fresh mint and berries were a nice addition to the drink. Priced at $5 on the menu, it appeared a tad bit expensive. The Lal Qila also looked promising, although we didn’t order it. These drinks are good for people who avoid drinking alcohol.
The Food: Compliments of the chef, the papadums were served warm, crispy, and had a nice salty flavor. They were accompanied by spicy red chutney, a fresh mango and onion salad, and mint yogurt chutney, balanced well to gently stir your taste buds and prepare it for the real thing.
Veg Appetizer (Gobhi Manchurian): The Gobhi Manchurian was a recommended dish and was colored with spice. It looked zesty, and indeed it was. The spicy and piquant dish was nicely put together with some sautéed onions and bell peppers, following the golden rule: an onion’s best friend is a bell pepper. The Gobhi Manchurian had a terrific balance between spice and taste, and kept the outside crispy but the inside soft. The dish arrived quickly and was still warm after almost ten minutes. This serves two people, and is something that vegetarians would enjoy.
Non-Veg Appetizer (Chicken 65): Chicken 65 can be described with one word – fire! The Chicken 65 was really juicy and spicy. It was very nicely marinated and wasn’t too dry or wet. The sautéed onions, green onions, bell peppers went really well with the chicken. Although this was very spicy, we could not help, but take some more. This is only recommended for people who are brave at heart and can handle fiery food.
Veg Entrée (Dum Aloo, Garlic Naan, Onion Kulcha): One highlight of our meal was the Dum Aloo accompanied with Garlic Naan and Onion Kulcha. The Dum Aloo was spicy, “chatpata” as we Indians would call it. It was like the Dum Aloo from Calcutta. There was no gravy but it was not dry at all. We loved it, probably the best Dum Aloo available in the Silicon Valley. The Naan and Kulcha were crispy, fluffy, and buttery. I would recommend these items for vegetarians.
Non-Veg Entrée (Chicken Sizzler): Another highlight of our meal was the Chicken Sizzler. As it came out, hot and steaming, our eyes locked onto it. This dish had an interesting fusion between Indian and Italian; a warm bed of pasta served under pieces of tandoori chicken. The pasta was cooked in a sauce similar to that of Chicken Makhani, and it went great with the chicken. After this it was time for dessert.
Dessert (Gajrela Sizzling Sundae): The Gajrela Sizzling Sundae was basically gajar halwa with malai kulfi. It was really sweet. I loved the concept of hot halwa with cold ice cream. It reminded me of the Pizookies at BJ’s Brewhouse, but had an Indian touch to it.
The Verdict: Milan impressed us immensely. A relaxing environment, Milan had a fancy and elegant feel to it, and had remarkable service. The waiters are attentive and the owner was lavish. The food always came out hot and fresh, and the waiters took good care of us. The appetizers served, was enough for two people per plate and the main course was good for about 3-4 people per plate. The taste and presentation of each dish was immensely appetizing. Considering the fact that most of the items are under $15, it is good value for money. We recommend this restaurant for anyone in or visiting the SF Bay Area, and looking for a great place to eat. We would recommend this for business meetings and family dinners.
The Authors:
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Vansh A. Gupta is an intern with Siliconeer. He is an avid foodie and likes to explore world cuisine. He lives in Fremont, Calif.
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Rohan Kumar is an intern with Siliconeer. He is an avid foodie and loves to try out new places to eat. He lives in Fremont, Calif.
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