Author Spotlight
Anna Kanaley
Photo by Ellie Thoma
Finding a restaurant you can always rely on for authentic curry can be challenging when you live in Kansas. However, just because we’re in the middle of the U.S. doesn’t mean you can’t find curry closer than London or India. So, I decided to search for noteworthy Indian cuisine and curry close to home in Kansas City in attempt to escape my routine of Culver’s or Chipotle runs.
Waldo Mart, 7521 Wornall Rd, Kansas City, MO 64114
In the Waldo Plaza Center on 75th and Wornall, Taj Mahal offers authentic Indian cuisine, specifically focusing on delicacies from Bombay.
I ordered the $12.95 chicken curry, medium spice-level, which was served with white rice. Drenching the boneless, chewy chicken curry with mango chutney and raita, a cucumber and yogurt sauce, to cool down the spice, I started to stuff my mouth because it looked so enticing. But with the first few bites I was let down that it wasn’t as flavorful as the curry from London or my mom’s homemade recipe.
Luckily, I had a Masala Chai tea to make up for the disappointment for only $2.25. Piping hot, the chai tea’s intense flavors of mixed spices took over my tastebuds and I knew I would come back for the tea alone.
In a booth at the front of the restaurant, I was constantly distracted by the incoming customers picking up their pre-ordered take-out. Glancing across the room, I noticed an overhead light flickering. Unfortunately, this reflected on the atmosphere of the restaurant, which seemed to match the food. The Indian music and decor seemed authentic at first, but quickly progressed to tacky. On top of that, the high price for average curry makes it unlikely for me to go back to Taj Mahal unless it’s for the tea.
Photo by Ellie Thoma
8600 Ward Pkwy, Kansas City, MO 64114
Frozen food is underrated. I am always up for toaster waffles or microwavable pizza, and a few years ago I found out Trader Joe’s, the king of classy frozen food, offered a selection of Indian cuisine. It immediately became my go-to meal. It would be morally wrong for me not to share such simple yet delicious foods.
Their microwaveable butter chicken and channa masala should not go unnoticed. The warm, spicy curry sauce mixed with the boneless chicken comes with precooked white rice. This eliminated the time spent boiling water, waiting for the rice to cook or making your own curry in general.
Compared to curry found in restaurants, frozen foods obviously aren’t as fresh, but they make up for that in terms of taste. Just because the food is heated up in the microwave doesn’t mean it tastes like old leftovers. The butter chicken is covered with a rich, red curry sauce. This made me realize that four minutes in the microwave can produce a seemingly gourmet, authentic Indian meal.
The channa masala came in a separate package, and took four minutes to heat. They are basically chickpeas, and they complement the chicken by adding more spice, and its soft, mushy texture added a variety to the meal.
While you don’t get the experience of eating at a restaurant, the comfort of eating in your own home without the trouble of spending hours creating the perfect dish make up for it. For the price and ease of the $3.69 butter chicken and the $2.99 channa masala, I would take this over any restaurant that requires me to put pants on.
651 E 59th St, Kansas City, MO 64110
On the corner of 59th and Holmes Rd., Chai Shai stands out from the residential neighborhood in which it’s located. The Indian and Pakistani restaurant welcomed me through its outdoor patio with lights strung above the chairs and tables as I made my way inside.
The menu didn’t have a wide variety of food, but I was tempted by everything. I knew I was there for the curry, but I couldn’t help but order the vegetable samosas on the side for only $5. I ordered the achari chicken for $15 and an iced masala chai tea for $3.50.
The achari chicken managed to accommodate all spice tolerances, being spicy enough to keep it flavorful, but not so spicy that people with low spice-tolerances couldn’t handle it without a glass of milk. The entree, served on basmati rice, along with the samosas and iced chai tea exceeded my expectations. The two vegetable samosas were the best I’d ever had – perfect, crunchy triangles filled with spicy and rich, mouth-watering flavors that I can’t even begin to describe. To top it off, the chai found the balance of the sweet drink with a hint of spice from the cinnamon stick inside the glass. With extremely filling and fairly large servings, Chai Shai gave me leftovers I couldn’t wait to eat for lunch the next day.
The romantically dim lighting from the crystal chandeliers, dark wooden tables and rustic, red painted walls give off a simple yet elegant atmosphere. While the look of the restaurant doesn’t scream Indian, the food definitely makes up for the lack of authenticity in appearance. And still, the restaurant is clean and classy, making for a great dining experience.
Chai Shai is one of the only Indian dining experiences I’ve had in Kansas City that make me eager to go back.
Photo by Ellie Thoma
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