Indian Clay Oven
2436 Clement Street
(between 25th Ave & 26th Ave)
San Francisco, CA 94121
(415) 751-2400
www.indiaclayoven.com

Just a few meals past my Thanksgiving dinner, I am already lusting for my next fantastic meal. In this economy, finding a great budget buffet is similar to hitting the food jackpot.

A mélange of aromas from various spices permeates through entire space at Clay Oven. The sixty five seat neighborhood restaurant provides patrons with a tasting menu with their all you can eat lunch buffet (8.95). Tables dressed in white linen and glass cups set the tone for a charming meal. The high ceiling and wide street side window creates a cozy dining area.

Noticeably, the wait staff is very attentive, constantly refilling beverages and collecting plates. Once seated, a basket filled with blistered crispy naan starts the meal. As the name suggests, the menu revolves around char-roasted meat and rich curries.

Starting my spice excursion, I start with a generous mound of rice pilaf. Sweetened with sweat green peas, the fluffy basmati rice is flavored with saffron. Known as one of the most expensive spices, saffron comes from dried stigma of a flower –often used in both coloring and flavoring in Southwest cooking.

With a thick consistency and vibrant green color, the saag paneer which is mild in spice goes very well with the naan. Eaten both in India and Pakistan, the curry is based on spinach and mustard leaves. Fried into meteorite -like shapes, the vegetable pakora lacked crispiness and flavor.

Similar to the Japanese tempura, the vegetable is battered and fried. Resembling fish ‘n chips, the meat from the fish pakora was flaky. The sweet chutney adds sweet flavor to the otherwise bland fried creations.

The tandoori chicken steals the show. Known as a semi-fried chicken delicacy that originated in the Punjab region, the meat is marinated in yogurt and seasoned with tandoori masala. While the tandoori masala varies from region to region, the base spice mix includes garlic, ginger, cumin, and cayenne pepper. Cooked at high temperatures in the clay oven called tandoor, the chicken tastes smoky while the spice adds a sweet aromatic flavor.

The curries are exceptional and pair well with the rice. The chicken curry is a rich intense curry. Boneless chicken bathes in a red sauce piping with oil and flavored with paprika and chilies. Tender lamb pieces make up the lamb curry. For dessert, the kheer (rice pudding) helps cool off the spice while the gulab jumun (brown cottage fried ball) soaks in flavored syrup is offered.
Indian cuisine is often associated with a sophisticated blend of spices.

India’s religious belief and culture plays a very influential role in their culinary arts. For instance, many worshippers of Hindu and Buddhism are vegetarians. Clay Oven serves North Indian cuisine and it is differentiate by a high consumption of dishes with dairy products such as milk and yogurt. Other common ingredients include nuts, saffron, and chilies.

Many Indian dishes are cooked in ghee, also known as clarified butter. A spoonful of ghee adds a rich consistency along with a nutty taste. While cooking Indian food, a well known technique is baghaar with infuses flavor by dropping spices into hot oil. Cinnamon, mustard seeds, red chilies, and bay leaves are popular ingredients used in this cooking technique.

Many recipes also require spices to be grinded. A great example is to taste the difference between ground pepper that has been sitting around compared to the fresh nutty smell of freshly ground pepper. Instead of adding cream to create a thick sauce, Indian food use yogurt that adds a creamy texture and a dash of tartness.

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Vik’s Chaat Corner
724 Allston Way
Berkeley , CA 94710
Ph: 510-644-4432
www.vikschaatcorner.com
11an to 6pm (Tues-Friday)
11am to 8pm (Sat and Sun)
Price range ($8 and up)
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Takara
708 Addison Street
(between 3rd St & 4th St )
Berkeley, CA 94710
(510) 540-8250
www.takarasake.com

Scharffen Berger Chocolate
914 Heinz Avenue
(between 7th St & 8th St )
Berkeley , CA 94710
(510) 981-4050
www.scharffenberger.com

The pungent smell of spices wafting down the street in west Berkeley is unmistakable. Located in an industrial area on Allston Avenue , a tiny area has become the unlikely hub for Indian food. Vik’s Chaat Corner has been attracting an eclectic crowd from multi generational Indian to white collar office workers.

One step into the high ceiling restaurant, the sizzling sounds from the open kitchen and a glass container with various baked goods stimulates the senses. Chaat literally translates “to lick” and it means road side snack served on a leaf.

The eating utensils resemble this – a spork and disposable containers hold the food. A quick glance around the room, most patrons enjoy their food by actively dipping their flat breads in various colorful sauces. Vik’s offer Indian food ranging in shapes and textures.

For a great summer starter, the ser puri ($4.25) excites the appetite with its cold temperature. Served on a square flat wheat chips, a mixture of potatoes, onions, and garlic chutneys result in a sweet and crunchy combination. Shaped like an oversized rolled up crepe (made from rice and lentil), the masala dosa ($7) would make a great street food.

The golden crust pairs well with the spice infused potato filling creating a tasty comfort food dish. To compliment the dish, a quick dunk into the coconut chutney sauce rounds out the dish. I would only taste a small sample of the lentil soup with a watery consistency. Skip the batata vada (potato fritters served with coconut chutney-$4.25) which has a doughy consistency from the crust that destroyed the dish.

With a chewy texture from an oversized puff, the bhatura cholle ($6.25) was my favorite dish. The puff is made from small wheat flat chips fried to form a light puffy shell. The chewy puff pairs well with the intensity of the garbanzo curry and crunch onions. With a melody of flavors ranging from spicy and sweet, the mango lassi (flavored yogurt drink-$1.67) refreshes the palate.

Instead of opting for the all-you-can-eat-lunch buffet route near Berkeley campus, Vik’s offer an affordable option. Served in a plastic bento box, lunch specials deliver a dabble of many textures and flavors. All specials includes basmati rice, roti (wheat flat chip), papdis (small wheat flat chip), raita (yogurt), dal (lentil) and a main dish.

The chicken special ($6.75), bathes in a light curry that I wished had more heat. Another great special was the seabass ($7.50) with fillets that cleverly soaked in the curry sauce. A vegetarian special $6.25 is available as well. Each day, new lunch specials are posted on their menu.

Adjacent to the restaurant, Vik’s also serves as a restaurant distributor. Indian beer and spices are just of the few items in their inventory. After my meal and in need of a drink or two to wash the spices down, I trekked over to Takara on Addison Street and took part in their free sake tour.

The tour included a brief video and a museum tour. Stealing the show, the free sake tasting was the highlight. Patrons are invited to sample a range of sakes from dry to sweet. The clean taste of the sakes definitely offers a nice contrast to the complex spices of Indian food.

A short drive will bring you to the Scharffen Berger chocolate factory for a nice dessert. After the one hour tour, unlimited samples of the premium chocolate are available. Next to the factory, the Scharffen Berger café offers great IPA beer and chocolate drinks.

Restaurant consultant.

Cleverly, Vik’s also serves as a distributor.

3 Great reasons

1) Increase the bottom line. Restaurateurs can pick up their supplies and hop over next door for lunch.

2) Taste the product. Being purchases a big volume of spice, the restaurant menu serves up dishes that use a particulate ingredients. Sampling is key.

3) Word of mouth. With gases prices at a high, many households will revert to cooking at home. The distributor offers many products. Jennifer may cook a great Indian dish and present it at a potluck. She receives numerous great feedback and will likely suggest others to visit the distributor.

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