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Gourmet India
Gourmet India is one of San Diego’s best kept secrets! I travel frequently to London and always miss the incredible Indian food they serve. I have tried every Indian restaurant in San Diego and Gourmet India is the first that matches the quality of London; However, Gourmet India has is own uniqueness that you will not find in London. The food is geared more toward hot weather climates, so Londoners will find a number of items on the menu that they never see in the UK. They also have a number of incredible beers from all parts of India. I recommend the India Special, which is about two 12 oz beers in volume. This is also a great place for vegetarians or vegans as is provides many dining options. The location is very close to the parking garage in Horton Plaza (to the right of the main parking entrance on 4th and F Streets). You can park in Horton Plaza and validate your ticket in the Mall for three hours of free parking. One of the things you will notice about Gourmet India is the Indian clientele. If you dine at other downtown Indian restaurants you will notice they are missing. I will leave is up to you to draw the conclusion. Gourmet India charges extra for rice (so do most Indian restaurants in San Diego), but the rice high quality and is prepared as a dish. I recommend the vegetable rice of the day. My favorite appetizer is Uttapam, which is a popular griddle cake from Bombay, made from cream of wheat, topped with tomatoes, onions, light green chili, cilantro, served with sambar soup and coconut chutney. I also recommend the Mulgutany Soup with chicken, but is also comes with vegetables. The soup is a lentil of the day cooked with ginger, onion, tomatoes and coconut milk. All of the curries are excellent and homemade. The chef/owner will also make nearly anything upon request. I occasionally ask for chicken yogurt saffron, which is not on the menu. I also like to order Chicken Tikka Masala, a marinated tandoor cooked boneless chicken, served in a tomato saffron sauce. The Murg Korma is also spectacular. It has boneless pieces of chicken cooked in an enticing cream sauce with nuts and raisins. The lunch buffet is basic and very nice, but I prefer ordering from the menu. If you like Indian cuisine, I highly recommend Gourmet India!— July 27, 2008 11:28 a.m.