Summary:
I've tried nearly every Indian/Nepalese spot in the Bay Area, and this is by far the best Indian food I've ever had.
A trusted local recommended Rasoi Indian Kitchen in Barcelona; it was a 50-minute walk, but absolutely worth it. I had the chicken tikka masala (medium spicy), my friend had the pot biryani with chicken, plus naan. Both dishes blew me away: incredibly tender, flavorful meat and perfectly balanced spice. Even the rice was soft and aromatic, not dry or firm like I'm used to.
Pro tips: the bread on top of the biryani is for steaming, not eating. Medium spicy was perfect. The yogurt sauce is delicious and helps tame the heat.
Final Verdict: If you're in Barcelona and want to experience Indian food done right, go here.
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Rating:
Food: *****
Incredibly flavorful and tender dishes; best Indian food I've ever had.
Service: *****Warm, attentive, and helpful throughout the meal. Staff speaks excellent English.
Ambience: *****Clean, comfortable, and hip
Value: *****
Very fair pricing for the quality but I am coming from SF Bay Area where everything is much more expensive
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Full Review for people with time to read:
I've tried almost every Indian / Nepalese restaurant in the Bay Area, mainly SF and East Bay, and I have tried a few in the South Bay), and this, by far, is the best Indian food I've ever had.
Everyone says that Indian food is amazing in the UK, and frankly I've not tried Indian there, but I cannot imagine how much better it can be than what I've had today.
My good friend texted his friend where the best Indian food is in Barcelona, and his friend came back with a very definitive recommendation. It was 2 miles away so a 50 minute walk, so a substantial distance, but my friend had faith in this referral, so we made the trek to Rasoi Indian Kitchen.
I ordered my standby, chicken tikka masala, and my friend ordered a pot biryani with chicken, which is an Indian rice dish covered with bread for steaming as well as 2 orders or naan (not buttered).
All the Indian food I've had in the states is either unacceptably at the low end, or "decent" at the high end. What keeps me ordering is dipping the naan in the sauce, whether curry, tikka masala, or butter chicken sauce, but the meat itself is always a bit dry.
Today, both the chicken dishes had incredibly tender and flavorful chicken, with both surprised and delighted my palate. I ordered medium spicy for the tikka masala, and my friend ordered medium, and if I had a re-do, I would've ordered medium spicy for both. It was a bit spicy, but the spiciness wasn't overpowering and paired well with both the bread and steamed rice.
My impression of Indian rice was that it's typically harder than Chinese rice, but the rice in the biryani was equally tender and soft.
Some tips: so the bread that steams the biryani isn't meant to be eaten. It can be, but it's not as delicious as the naan. I asked if the dish could've steamed it with foil, and my friend assented. Also, go for medium spicy and then you can always add spice if you want (unless you are a spice lover). The accompanying yogurt sauce is also a great way to notch down the spice level, and it is delicious regardless.
Final Verdict: If you are in Barcelona and either like Indian food or what to see what amazing Indian food should taste like, give this spot a try. read more