Bawarchi!!! (Little India, Mira Mesa)

I was shocked to realize that, since I started this blog about 15 mos. ago, I have not been to Little India, formerly my most favorite place in San Diego! I think I was in the mode of wanting to try new places...and I probably had one tummy-ache too many from overeating at the yummy Cafe Madras buffet!

But it was a shocker to plan to try somewhere in Little India with NYUGirl, and to see that Ker, my fave of all favorites there, had closed in March 2010!! Boy used to go with me frequently when he was a baby and I was on maternity leave. Nan, rice, lentils, mangos, yogurt: ideal for a baby! But when he hit about one, his face turned red one day, as his newly developed taste buds decided that Indian food was "too ficy!!!" So I've been getting my Indian food craving on the run in Sorrento Valley, and just kind of forgot to head over to Little India.

But now I remember: OH BOY!! No disrespect to Sitar and Sher E Punjab: they're awesome. But there are dishes they just don't have there. I needed a South Indian fix!!!

Turns out, Ker has been replaced by Bawarchi. SUPER-YUM!!! the haters on Yelp (some love it, some hate on it) should safely be ignored, unless you're trying to recapture your mama's food in India.

Some of the highlights:

--a ridiculously tasty and light grated beetroot dish (not sure what was in it: coconut? peanuts?). Had 3 servings. Tasted really healthy, and honestly one of the best things I ever ate in my life.

--very respectable sambar

--some interesting little fritters (name unfamiliar to me, like gulab jamun but smaller and not sweet)

--eggplant masala: yum

I also liked their paneer tikka masala and other things. The only misfire for me: mango dal. It sounded so exciting when I saw it (love mangos! love dal!), but I'm not a fan. The mangos undercut what should be the intense earthiness of the dal and instead made it a soupy sweet thing. It wasn't bad, it just wasn't very good.

NYUGirl also ate the meat dishes, including a lamb one and a chicken one. I can't vouch for them, but she was very pleased.

I need excuses to go back!!

Oh - and I hit Surati Farsan Mart after, got some plain barfi and mango barfi to take home. ST loved both of them. Yum!!!