Get Your Butter Chicken a Better Way at Jaipur in Chicago
Butter chicken, photograph from roboppy on Flickr
It says something about how far we've come as a food nation when you feel like you have to apologize for eating chicken makhani. Butter chicken is so ubiquitous that it's kind of become the crab rangoon of Indian food, the difference being that, at least from what I’ve read, it's actually a real Punjabi dish and not some Americanized bastardization. Though, from what I’ve learned about food origins, the copious amounts of cream and butter in this dish suggest it is an American- or European-influenced invention. But then again, who cares? What’s important is when done right, it tastes good.
Guilt aside, for eating like a relative dilettante, I've been getting my chicken makhani fix up the block in Chicago's West Loop at a spot called Jaipur. While it’s not the best example in the city, it’s very good. What makes it really compelling is that it's usually part of an "all you can eat" affair that also includes freshly baked naan, creamy mutter paneer, fresh fried pakoras and samosa, and a rotating complement of other dishes. For that price, you’re not getting some stew of overcooked steam table items, but reasonable portions cooked fresh and brought tableside as you eat. There’s a healthy dose of spice (more if you ask for it) and the dishes aren’t dumbed down.
At $14, you won’t find a much cheaper buffet option in the city, and as far as I know, outside of maybe one or two ragtag Pakistani spots on Chicago’s Devon Street strip, you wouldn’t be able to put together the same à la carte quality for this price.
Jaipur
847 West Randolph Street, Chicago, IL 60686 (map)
312-526-3655
jaipurchicago.com
Add a comment:
Previewing your comment:
HTML Hints
Some HTML is OK: <a href="URL">link</a>, <strong>strong</strong>, <em>em</em>
Comment Guidelines
Post whatever you want, just keep it seriously about eats, seriously. We reserve the right to delete off-topic or inflammatory comments. Learn more at our Comment Policy page.
If you see something not so nice, please, report an inappropriate comment.
6 Comments:
Will have to check this out because Mike's recommendations never lead me astray!!!
Jbout at 2:52PM on 01/29/09
The Punjab is a very dairy-rich region in general so you can rest assured that the copious cream and ghee in the dish is authentically Punjabi.
JungMan at 3:03PM on 01/29/09
Yes, I second JungMan's comments. European cuisine doesn't have a monopoly on the use of dairy products. Indian cuisine, which in and of itself is extremely varied region to region, has many dishes that utilize milk, butter, cream, yogurt, etc., not to mention Indian cheeses like panir and chenna, which were not the result of European influence in India.
LadyMarmalade at 3:52PM on 01/29/09
I haven't found any Indian food like my friends family's restaurant used to make. I'm so sad they closed the place up due to her dad's health, I was the best in Western NY. :(
joanpieroni2 at 7:19PM on 01/29/09
One of my fave Indian dishes. No apologies here. Why would I care what late-to-the-party nouveau foodies think?
chanterelle at 10:22PM on 01/29/09
That picture is driving me up the wall. It looks so damn good. Robyn, you are a seductress with the camera.
simon at 11:00PM on 01/29/09