Comfortable environment, delicious menu lift Ganesh Indian Cuisine above norm
Channa Masala at Ganesh Indian Cuisine in American Fork.
Ganesh's Special Mixed Grill is on display.
Assorted Vegetable Pankora alongside mint and tamarind sauces at Ganesh Indian Cuisine in American Fork.
Ganesh Indian Cuisine is seen in American Fork.
Goat Curry is nothing to kid about at Ganesh Indian Cuisine.
Assorted Vegetable Pankora alongside mint and tamarind sauces.
The inside of Ganesh Indian Cuisine.
Papadum from Ganesh Indian Cuisine.
Vegetable Coconut Norma is seen alongside Shrimp Tikka Masala.
The dining room at Ganesh Indian Cuisine.
The first thing you’ll feel at Ganesh Indian Cuisine — comfortable. What happens next is up to you.
Fine food is more than a mechanical up-and-down motion of the jaw and arms. It’s an experience, and after dining at the restaurant’s American Fork location, I was delighted to walk into a slice of home.
Every restaurant has a certain environment about it. We know this. I would also say the key ingredient to any good recipe is atmosphere. Without it, it’s just another plate of food.
A single aisle of booth tables stretches to the left and right upon entering this intimate eatery. Hundreds of little white square tiles glean the pathway to tables dressed with centerpiece cloth napkins, folded in ornate fashion.
Tasseled satin curtains frame the top of each window, which are also covered with a see-through white lattice material that hangs down. During the middle of regular dinner hours (5-10 p.m.) something special occurs as the sun sets.
The thin white linen that shades the window soaks up the auburn sunshine and creates this sort of warm glow that softly illuminates the table. I couldn’t be more ready.
Lamb curry sounded interesting, and I asked the waitress to add potatoes. I pause to mention something a friend of mine from Indonesia once told me, “Having curry without potatoes is like having a house without a roof.” I couldn’t agree more. They are perfect flavor ambassadors to your taste buds.
“What spice level,” the waitress asked.
“Mild,” I replied.
When the entree arrived shortly after, I braced myself for impact. I am a curry fan, I confess. The number of nameless sensations that roll across the tongue after a bite of Indian curry surprises me every time, and Ganesh’s was no different. What happened next is what I can only describe as a conflagration of exotic sweetness wrapped in a savory daydream. I think that sums it up nicely.
The portion size was modest, but when eaten with rice and naan, I had no trouble being satisfied. (It also left room for dessert). Naan is a baked flat bread commonly served with curry, and Ganesh offers various flavored naan for $1.99. A clay oven, or tandoor, is used to fire-bake dishes like naan.
I ordered the garlic version and was pleased to see diced garlic, sesame seeds and dashes of leafy green herbs on top. The fire-roasted oven caused these toppings to sear slightly, making for an aromatic edible treat.
Each menu item is numbered and the menu reads with 100 options. A few dozen items are gluten-free, vegetarian and vegan entrees.
I was curious to try more tandoori foods, and ordered No. 69: a combination of all the tandoori dishes and vegetables. All of the sample selections had skewer holes running through them, as if they were just plucked off a cooking kabob.
The highlight of the dish were three chicken drumsticks seasoned with a zesty-sweet dry sauce. The fire-baked shrimp in the sampler warrants praise with its smoky, mild spice, which was administered with just enough subtlety that left me a little tongue-tied.
Speechlessness, it seems, is a common side effect when you dine with Ganesh.
I spotted the dessert section on the menu and saw something called “Kheer,” a homemade rice pudding. “Oh gee,” I thought sarcastically, “rice pudding.” Immediately, an image of the spice box from the 2014 film “The Hundred-Foot Journey” starring Helen Mirren popped into my mind. This won’t be an ordinary rice pudding. This is Indian cuisine, after all.
It essentially looked like milk with soft rice in it. But don’t judge a book by its cover. Half slurping, I tasted hints of clove, ginger and vanilla in a smooth texture of creamy bliss. There was nothing ordinary about this pudding at all — extraordinary is better suited.
When you want to embark on a culinary exploration — when your palate craves a new companion and tires of the regular humdrum — Ganesh has two locations serving curious comfort food from half-way around the world.
GANESH INDIAN CUISINE
Where: 785 E. State St., American Fork
Hours: Monday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Prices: $7.99-$14.99
Info: (385) 265-4126, ganeshindiancuisine.com