The Champagne Supernova Supper Club was inspired to give Aslam’s Rasoi a go, in the Mission District of San Francisco. A convenient three blocks away from BART, this neck of the woods is trendy and young, and allows for great people-watching, particularly upscale hipsters in their natural habitat. Once you enter the lauded Aslam Rasoi you are surrounded by beautiful mosaics that bedeck the walls and tables. Ambience is key here and the designer has done an excellent job draping the place in nouveau-Indian-Pakistan chic. It’s open, airy, and filled with gold lighting that creates a feel of intimacy and elegance. Should you get bored with the street scene, you can watch the cooks in the kitchen prep their specialty, tandoori.
This restaurant is touted for their extensive variety of tandoori dishes, and aside from these specialties, the rest of the menu is run-of-the-mill Indian & Pakistani fare. Our feast kicked off with assorted pakoras and garlic naan. Not too bready, or chewy, the naan was crispy and thin, much like a margherita pizza. We followed up with the chicken tiki masala, good but not mind-blowing. The special fish of the day, tilipia, also left no memorable impressions. The lamb kebab was the most impressive and Aslam’s Rasoi lives up to their reputation for tandoori delish. The dish was delivered sizzling hot. The meat was tender and rare with just the right crispy barbeque-iness outside. Flavors abound!
To quench our thirst during the meal we ordered a redolent Riesling and a soju Cosmo that left us sad and disappointed, a true alcoholic sin. The wait-staff was competent but brusque. They seemed to act as if the evening was busier than apparent. Aslam’s Rasoi is high-end South Asian cuisine. If you enjoy flavorful tandoori, and nothing else from the great lands of Pakistan & India, this might be the place for you. If you prefer more original dishes and are allergic to the trendy hipster milieu, you might want to count this one out.
1037 Valencia Street (at 21st Street)
San Francisco
(415) 695-0599
http://www.aslamsrasoi.com/index2.html
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