Curry is as versatile as your favorite pair of jeans. Some are spicy, others sweet and tangy. Some are thick and gooey, others brothy. Some spread across plates, others ladled into bowls. Your definition of curry depends on where you come from, where you have been, and what you want to eat at that particular moment.
The very definition of curry can be vague. As a verb it means to "prepare or flavor with a sauce of hot-tasting spices." That can be just about anything from the sweetly mild green Thai curry to the vibrant pop of a firey Caribbean dish.
The good news is that no matter type of curry or curries you hold dear, you can most likely find it in the Twin Cities. More importantly, in the dead of winter, curry is the perfect dish to fill your stomach and warm your body from head to toe.
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Afro Deli will soon open a new location in Stadium villiage, but for now, we're downing curry in St. Paul and curry is a simple combination of chicken, peppers, eggplant, carrots, onions, garlic, and African spices in a light yellow sauce. Served up fast and hot on a bed of fluffy yellow rice.
This neighborhood pub in Lynnhurst isn’t your average watering hole. For starters, this pub has a daily curry on the menu. Drawing from his Filipino roots, owner Fred Navarro’s curry specials run the gauntlet of flavors, spices, and proteins. Maybe lamb meatball one day, maybe shrimp another, maybe Thai flavors, maybe Indian. No matter the day or time, you can stop by George and Dragon and be sure that your curry (and beer needs) will be met.
The Caribbean islands have their fair share of curry dishes, most of which are hot enough to make you sweat off a pound or two. Marla’s Caribbean Cuisine in South Minneapolis offers curry both straight up and with plate of island dumplings. Seasoned with imported Trinidad spices and slow cooked with cabbage, carrots, and bell peppers, Marla’s curries are the sort you eat slowly with large gulps pineapple soda between bites of spicy meat and vegetables.
[Photo courtesy Marla's Caribbean Facebook page]
This unassuming eatery in Cedar Riverside is a cozy curry-lovers delight. These curries hail from the southwest coastal regions of India, and are unique mix of Indian and tropical flavors that will have your taste buds thoroughly intrigued. Try Malabari Kitchen’s Njandu Curry, a spicy concoction of soft-shell crab in a blend of dry roasted and ground coconut-coriander paste--mango lassi required!
Truly understanding Japanese cuisine requires eating a plate of Japanese curry. Introduced into Japan from the British via India, Japanese curry is a slightly sweet and mild stew of meats, carrots, and potatoes, flavored with curry powder and served with a heavenly scoop of fluffy white rice. Before devouring this uniquely Japanese dish, take a minute to admire the thick-brown sauce and pack your cold, weather culture baggage for this savory cross-cultural journey your mouth is about to take.
No trip to Fasika in Saint Paul would be complete without an order of Alcha Wot, the Ethiopian variation of curry. Just imagine a plate of slow cooked curried beef and peppers served on bed of soft-spongy injera. Simple and tasty, Fasika’s Alcha Wot goes down easy with cold beer, easy grin, and good conversation. You can sidestep the red meat and order the vegetarian version of this must-try curry dish too.
The new kid on the curry block, House of Curry in Rosemount offers up a plethora of Sri Lankan dishes, including over 15 different curry options. From shrimp and fish to lamb, chicken, and lentils, you can easily taste the flavors of this tropical island paradise with these coconutty curries. Skip the 20-plus hour flight to Sri Lanka in favor of a drive to House of Curry where you can bask in their vibrant colors and zesty dishes.
Gorkha Palace may be a modestly-sized palace, but the food and ambience more than make up for it. This is especially true about the restaurant's curries. Sourced from local and organic ingredients these bowls of spiced meat and vegetables come loaded with flavor. Order the chicken coconut curry, an intoxicating combination of chicken, jalapenos, cucumbers, and basil simmered in tomatoes, onions and a dash of coconut milk.
It's like Sophie's Choice on a cold, winter day: order a hot bowl of ramen or curry? Enter Tonkatsu Curry Ramen. Ramen noodles, crispy pork, Chinese broccoli, and a poached egg in a salty Japanese curry-broth. No, this curry is not brightly colored or wafting with coconut aromas, but take one bite of this dish and you will realize why it is beloved. The broth is full-flavored; the pork cutlet is crunchy-soft and the noodles melt in your mouth.
Who says curry needs a side of rice? Why not a pile of fish and fries instead? If you want to mix things up, stop by Anchor Fish and Chips in Northeast and get an order of curry chips. Britain’s answer to ketchup, this condiment is a sweet and tangy, yellow curry-infused sauce that adds exactly what was missing from those golden-fried potato sticks and salty flakey fish, a little spicy-goodness. Cheers, mate!
[Photo courtesy The Anchor Fish & Chips Facebook page]
This Banglidesh/Indian restaurant in Minneapolis' Longfellow neighborhood is an absolute gem, serving divine dishes using locally sourced ingredients whenever possible - they even have an onsite growing operation. Dive into a bowl of the heavenly perfumed curry and get ready for some serious spice.
Afro Deli will soon open a new location in Stadium villiage, but for now, we're downing curry in St. Paul and curry is a simple combination of chicken, peppers, eggplant, carrots, onions, garlic, and African spices in a light yellow sauce. Served up fast and hot on a bed of fluffy yellow rice.
This neighborhood pub in Lynnhurst isn’t your average watering hole. For starters, this pub has a daily curry on the menu. Drawing from his Filipino roots, owner Fred Navarro’s curry specials run the gauntlet of flavors, spices, and proteins. Maybe lamb meatball one day, maybe shrimp another, maybe Thai flavors, maybe Indian. No matter the day or time, you can stop by George and Dragon and be sure that your curry (and beer needs) will be met.
The Caribbean islands have their fair share of curry dishes, most of which are hot enough to make you sweat off a pound or two. Marla’s Caribbean Cuisine in South Minneapolis offers curry both straight up and with plate of island dumplings. Seasoned with imported Trinidad spices and slow cooked with cabbage, carrots, and bell peppers, Marla’s curries are the sort you eat slowly with large gulps pineapple soda between bites of spicy meat and vegetables.
[Photo courtesy Marla's Caribbean Facebook page]
This unassuming eatery in Cedar Riverside is a cozy curry-lovers delight. These curries hail from the southwest coastal regions of India, and are unique mix of Indian and tropical flavors that will have your taste buds thoroughly intrigued. Try Malabari Kitchen’s Njandu Curry, a spicy concoction of soft-shell crab in a blend of dry roasted and ground coconut-coriander paste--mango lassi required!
Truly understanding Japanese cuisine requires eating a plate of Japanese curry. Introduced into Japan from the British via India, Japanese curry is a slightly sweet and mild stew of meats, carrots, and potatoes, flavored with curry powder and served with a heavenly scoop of fluffy white rice. Before devouring this uniquely Japanese dish, take a minute to admire the thick-brown sauce and pack your cold, weather culture baggage for this savory cross-cultural journey your mouth is about to take.
No trip to Fasika in Saint Paul would be complete without an order of Alcha Wot, the Ethiopian variation of curry. Just imagine a plate of slow cooked curried beef and peppers served on bed of soft-spongy injera. Simple and tasty, Fasika’s Alcha Wot goes down easy with cold beer, easy grin, and good conversation. You can sidestep the red meat and order the vegetarian version of this must-try curry dish too.
The new kid on the curry block, House of Curry in Rosemount offers up a plethora of Sri Lankan dishes, including over 15 different curry options. From shrimp and fish to lamb, chicken, and lentils, you can easily taste the flavors of this tropical island paradise with these coconutty curries. Skip the 20-plus hour flight to Sri Lanka in favor of a drive to House of Curry where you can bask in their vibrant colors and zesty dishes.
Gorkha Palace may be a modestly-sized palace, but the food and ambience more than make up for it. This is especially true about the restaurant's curries. Sourced from local and organic ingredients these bowls of spiced meat and vegetables come loaded with flavor. Order the chicken coconut curry, an intoxicating combination of chicken, jalapenos, cucumbers, and basil simmered in tomatoes, onions and a dash of coconut milk.
It's like Sophie's Choice on a cold, winter day: order a hot bowl of ramen or curry? Enter Tonkatsu Curry Ramen. Ramen noodles, crispy pork, Chinese broccoli, and a poached egg in a salty Japanese curry-broth. No, this curry is not brightly colored or wafting with coconut aromas, but take one bite of this dish and you will realize why it is beloved. The broth is full-flavored; the pork cutlet is crunchy-soft and the noodles melt in your mouth.
Who says curry needs a side of rice? Why not a pile of fish and fries instead? If you want to mix things up, stop by Anchor Fish and Chips in Northeast and get an order of curry chips. Britain’s answer to ketchup, this condiment is a sweet and tangy, yellow curry-infused sauce that adds exactly what was missing from those golden-fried potato sticks and salty flakey fish, a little spicy-goodness. Cheers, mate!
[Photo courtesy The Anchor Fish & Chips Facebook page]
This Banglidesh/Indian restaurant in Minneapolis' Longfellow neighborhood is an absolute gem, serving divine dishes using locally sourced ingredients whenever possible - they even have an onsite growing operation. Dive into a bowl of the heavenly perfumed curry and get ready for some serious spice.
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