Located at 3036 Waialae Avenue #B-4 (behind the Big Fat Greek), is where you will find Cafe Taj Mahal, one of the best Indian restuarants I have experienced yet.
At first, I was a bit hesitant to enter. It looked expensive inside and I wasn't too sure if I would enjoy the food. However, I was wrong. Completely wrong. The food was incredible at Cafe Taj Mahal and I have now deemed it one of my favorite restaurants in Hawaii for Indian food. The prices are very reasonable, while the flavors of every dish have the perfect amount of spice and flavor. The service is excellent and the atmosphere, extremely clean and comfortable. I want to return again to try the Fish Malabri, which I hear is fantastic. I can't wait to eat there again.
While you sit in the restaurant, awaiting your food, there are Bollywood movies being played that will catch your attention. It will make you laugh too because some of the scenes are hillarious.
Chai Tea
Order an incredibly flavorful cup of Chai to begin your meal ... It's worth it.
Lamb Samosas with two types of dipping sauces.
When I bit into the samosa, it had a flaky, delicious crust on the outside. Inside, it was stuffed with lamb that was tender and flavorful from all of the added spices. There were two sauces that complemented the samosas. One seemed to be a cucumber yogurt sauce, while the other I am not sure what it was made of, but it was much more spicy. I loved both sauces.
Why not give samosas a try? They make for a delicious snack or appetizer.
Rice Polou (basmati rice with garlic and herbs)
There were a number of options for rice, but this one is much more simple and subtle, making it easy to eat with our masala dishes. I would like to try some of their other rice dishes too.
Fish Curry Masala
I would highly recommend this dish. Sea Bass Fillet simmered in a sauce with tomato and herbs can't go wrong.
Mixed Vegetable Masala
If you are vegetarian, why not try this dish? It's loaded with vegetagbles and has perfectly blended spices.
Dessert: Halva (sweets made with wheat, ghee, cardamom, sugar, and raisins)
It was interesting to try the halva. Slightly sweet, the raisins truly complement this dessert.
I'm not a big fan of halva because I am addicted to chocolate and ice cream, but this can be a refreshing dessert, especially for those of you who enjoy subtle sweetness.
For those of you looking for one of the next best Indian restaurants in Hawaii, stop by Cafe Taj Mahal to enjoy an incredible bite of Indian food. If you've never had Indian food, this is the place to try it for the first time. It's a family owned business, so the qualify of the food, as well as the service, is excellent. It's also a great place for vegetarians since there are a number of meatless dishes available.
There aren't many Indian restaurants in Hawaii either, so stop by for something truly unique. It's always nice to step outside of the box to try something different than the usual.
I just went here for lunch today with my boyfriend, following your review here. It was great! We got cold chai because we were so hot from outside. We had an appetizer that was like a big fried pancake with lentils in it, and it was delicious, especially thanks to the two dipping sauces they provided for it. We also had the chicken korma and balti lamb. I particularly liked the lamb, and the naan they gave us was huge, so we could soak up all the sauces. Thanks so much for the recommendation!
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