My dining companion and I tried Anmol last weekend, after I had read the Yelp! reviews. Actually, I had not even known that this restaurant existed, as when I'm driving down Rantoul Street, I'm usually rigidly focused on the road, since it is bumpy, pedestrians pop out from behind cars, and sometimes cars come zipping out of intersections and parking spaces without warning.
I have eaten at Passage to India in Salem several times, and was kind of disappointed in both the food and servers there (I ate there because a friend liked it and always wanted to eat there), so my hopes for Anmol weren't high until I saw the reviews and decided to try it. I was not disappointed, and in fact was very pleased.
The serving staff is a cordial team of Indian men. I have been to India four times, and can tell you that Indian culture is one in which smiling is not a spontaneous public action. So, these fellows are educated in American culture and have adjusted to our need for friendly smiles. The staff at Passage to India is not similarly aculturated, and I always felt put off by their brusqueness, even though I have some understanding of their culture.
(Interesting to know that the owner of PtI is not Indian himself, but an Anglo-American guy who evidently wants an authentic Indian atmosphere; this may be true of Anmol as well, but I don't know who the owner is).
Anmol's menu is varied and the degree of spicy hotness is within the diner's full control. I ordered a mild shrimp tikka masala that was scrumptious in its rich tomato-cream and subtly spiced sauce, which was plentiful. The popular tandoori (a special kind of oven and baking process) dishes are there, in vegetarian, lamb, chicken and seafood variations. and there are marsalas (besides the shrimp version I had), too. You can get any dish completely without "hot," or to-the-max, fire-extinguisher hot if you wish.
The completmentary spicy crisp-bread appetizer comes with a trio of hot condiments, but you're under no pressure to eat or even try them. The servers re-fill water glasses throughout the meal, so I felt comfortable trying the spicies.
The garlic naan was excellent. Fluffy, light, slightly chewy, with sufficient garlic that it wasn't one of those "it smells garlicky, but where's the garlic flavor??" situations that too often are the case in restaurants. You want to taste garlic, not just smell the tantalizing aroma.
The wine, beer and mixed-drink list was interesting. My companion tried a blue concoction with margarita-style salt-rimmed glass and curacao. It was tasty and potent, even in the little sip I sampled.
Since others on Yelp! have provided more details about individual items, I won't ramble on, except to throw in my thumbs-up accolades. This is a very good place to dine. The atmosphere is nice, too. Go, eat, see for yourself. read more