If you're looking for delicious Indian food in Gwinnett, look no further than the Mughals on Jimmy Carter Blvd (I-85 Exit 99). The Mughals, presumably named after the Mughal Empire of India during the 16th to 18th centuries, serves Indian, Pakistani, and Bangladeshi cuisine. The restaurant is nestled in a run-down strip mall that also houses a Hibachi Grill & Supreme Buffet.
The Mughals occupies one end of a strip mall and has a banquet hall for special events. This is very much a casual restaurant. The main dining area, which I think was redone in the past 2-3 years, is like dining in a plain, open, strip mall space. Imagine eating in an office break room or something similar, just bigger. It's a brightly lit room with several tables and a TV on the wall playing cricket. Several Indian restaurants in metro Atlanta are like this actually.
You order upfront, but pay after your meal. It would be more efficient if you paid when ordering (like a fast casual restaurant). Drinks, plates, silverware, and napkins are self-serve. One good thing is, no matter how busy the place gets, the food comes out from the kitchen relatively fast.
The restaurant has a small-to-moderate-sized menu with many Indian staples. If you aren't familiar with Indian food, then you may have trouble ordering because the menu doesn't have any descriptions of its items, just their Indian names. There is, however, a picture menu that you can request. It's very helpful. In addition to the regular menu, there's a whiteboard on the wall near the register with specials.
Expect to see food such as samosas, kabobs, chicken dishes (e.g. curry chicken, butter chicken), and mutton (sheep) dishes, as well as various house specialties such as fried fish. There's also bread (naan, paratha), rice (basmati, biryani), and Indian beverages and desserts (rasmalai, kheer, gulab jamun). Everything is quite affordable as most entrees are each $8.99 or less.
If you're an adventurous eater, one unique item they have is the brains masala. It's a house specialty made from mutton brains. Masala is a general Indian term used for a mixture of spices and ingredients. Honestly, I don't think the brains masala is that good, but if you want to try brains, here's your chance.
The brains are chopped and sauteed in several spices and sauces. The dish doesn't look appealing. The brains look like cauliflower. Now what I've said makes this dish sound bad. It's not. It's OK. The brain doesn't have much flavor, so most of the taste comes from the semi-oily sauce it's drenched in. To me, the brain has similar consistency to tofu, just not as smooth or "clean cut." Yes, it's a bit mushy, more scrambled egg-like.
I do think the brain is cooked well because I've had brain in Chinese hot pot that wasn't cooked very well. It had an unpleasant taste and an unappetizing, lumpy texture. Not here, though I do have to say the only truly good brains I've ever had are the veal brains at Holeman & Finch.
The Mughals is great for communal dining where several dishes are shared. I recommend the Chicken 65, beef seekh kabob, and palak paneer. Chicken 65 consists of several small pieces of spicy, deep-fried chicken. The chicken pieces are red in color and are flavorful and tender. It's hard to go wrong with dish, even for folks with the most basic of palates.
The beef seekh kabob are like beef sausages. They are tasty and aromatic. You can tell the sausages are filled with several herbs and spices, which give them an almost intense flavor. The beef seekh kabobs are a bit dry, but I think that's how they're supposed to be. Most of the meat dishes are accompanied with slices of raw white onion and hot sauce.
Palak paneer is one of my favorite Indian dishes. It's creamed spinach made with paneer cheese. The Mughals' version of palak paneer, like many Indian restaurants, contains several cubes of paneer cheese. I think milk and cream are also used in this dish, though I'm not 100% sure. Ever had Boston Market creamed spinach? This is like the Indian equivalent. Palak paneer is not on the regular menu, so be sure to check the specials board for it.
It's essential you order bread or rice to eat with any of the entrees. The bread and rice help soak up the sauces and flavors. Naan is a poofy flatbread while paratha is a more dense, harder flatbread. I recommend naan. Basmati rice is fluffy white rice. Very neutral and basic. Biryani rice is basmati rice with added ingredients, sort of like fried rice, but with totally different flavor and consistency. I love how Indian rice is fragrant, light, and soft.
Order a mango lassi. Lassi is a yogurt-based Indian drink. The mango lassi here is incredibly thick. In fact, it's the thickest lassi I've ever had. Keep that in mind when ordering since it's very filling.
Service is good. I especially like the Hispanic lady who takes the orders. She's very nice. read more