Snuggled away in the foothills of Johnston lies an amazing place for Himalayan and Indian cuisine. With a pepper for the "J", The Punjab calls to you from the road. Come in! Sit down! Relax with meeeee! Eat some of the best Indian food of your life. Not joking. We're going to do this review in reverse because in my opinion we're saving the absolute best for last. It will be worth the wait, I promise.
Time Machine ignition......go.
We left full and smiling as we waked out to our car. We had just finished two (yes two) incredible desserts. My wife who is chocolate lava cake fanatic HAD to lay claim to that choice, while she passed on her knowledge of Carrot Hawla to me and suggested I get that for myself. I have to admit, a carrot based dessert would never be my first choice but this was like nothing I had ever tasted. Rich, creamy, savory and sweet with just enough cooked pistachio texture to keep it interesting. Truly a very unique treat. The lava cake was smaller but don't let that deter you from getting it. Warm and gooey, chocolatey and delicious, with 2 scoops of ice cream to accompany it, made this the perfect choice.
On to the entrees. We had the Veggie Korma and Palak Paneer. Now this the main event and it had every right to hold the championship belt. The Veggie Korma came out super fresh, garnished in steam. It smelled awesome! You know when you want to just dive right in but your brain tells you to chill because you KNOW you'll burn your tongue? Welp. Dove - in. Tongue - tingley. Regrets - none. The veggies were cooked very well and there were plenty of them, which is always a plus. Now, can I try and describe the Palak Paneer as accurately as possible? Well imagine little pillows of cheese tucked into some of the most velvety green tastiness you've ever seen. The only thing more iconic than Punjab's velvety green paneer goodness might be Scarlett O'Hara's green velvet curtain dress from Gone With the Wind. So there.
Now where it all began for me. Where I became a believer, a fan, a die hard follower of this restaurant. "But Dan, didn't you say that we're going backwards with this review? Isn't this the appetizers? Like, the first things you ordered?"
YES, YES, a hundred times YES!!!
We chose the Punjab Veggie Platter first because we figured it would give us a chance to take a flavor trip through some different options. And let me just say, you're trippin' if this trip doesn't pack some much needed flavor and variety in your life. It had a little bit of everything from cauliflower to potato based magic morsels.
Oh man.
Oh man.
Oh man.
This is the moment we've been waiting for.
The Paneer Johl Momo.
*
They're steamed dumplings filled with cheese and onion and magic and dreams and wishes and straight A's on your report card and memories of your first kiss and seeing the stars at night when you're out in the countryside with no light pollution and seeing the new tulips just poking their lil' heads out in early spring......all of that. Plus it comes delicately bathed in a spicy rich light sauce that will alter your reality (for the better) with every single bite, sip, and dip. This was possibly one of the best appetizers I have had ever. Like EVER ever. Seriously.
And now we find ourselves at the very beginning. This place is spectacular. From the wood floors, bar, and furniture, to the cool motorcycle wine rack. The decorations and atmosphere are very cozy and welcoming and the staff is elite. They were working like a well oiled machine from the time we sat down until the moment they all wished us a fond farewell (and I mean ALL! Even the kitchen staff said goodbye, waived, and said "Thank You!")
This place is a MUST TRY!! Or a MUST RETURN FOR MORE!! Or a OH EM GEE HOW DID I NOT COME HERE SOONER???? Without a doubt 5 out of 5, or 10 out of 10, or however your scale slides.
The Punjab is next level. read more