The Indian Club

Relaxing simplicity and reasonable prices

by Johnette Rodriguez

455 Main St., East Greenwich, 884-7100
Open for lunch 11 a.m.-3 p.m.
Brunch buffet Sat and Sun, 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m.
Dinner Mon-Thurs, 5-10:30 p.m., Fri till 11 p.m.
Sat, 11:30 a.m.-11 p.m., Sun, 11 a.m.-10:30 p.m.
Major credit cards
Sidewalk access

Finding the Indian Club on East Greenwich's very American Main Street is like coming across a pearl in a quahog -- set between small retail stores and donut shops, the restaurant really stands out! Indeed, the relaxing simplicity of its decor and its reasonable prices are as inviting as a shade tree in the desert.

The Indian Club is particularly welcome for serving a few interesting dishes from South India: chowpatty snacks, such as papri chat and bhel poori, as well as idlis (steamed rice cakes), dosas (filled crisp crepes) and sambhars (deep-fried savory donuts). They are also very clear about vegetarian and non-vegetarian options, offering a special "East Greenwich Vegetarian Dinner for Two" ($22.95) and an "East Greenwich Royal Dinner" (non-vegetarian for $26.95).

Eager to try as many of the dozens of items from the North Indian menu as possible, the two of us opted for the "Indian Club Special" from the appetizers ($7.95), a mixture of vegetarian and non-vegetarian offerings. (A meat-eaters' sampler at $6.50 and a veggie sampler at $5.50 are also available.) We had an onion and a chicken pakora, both deep-fried in chickpea batter and, unfortunately, both too greasy for my taste. The paneer (homemade cheese) pakora, on the other hand, had only the thinnest of batters, with a sliver of mint chutney tucked into it. Excellent.

The mint chutney was also a great condiment for the two samosas (savory turnovers) on the tiny smorgasbord, one potato/pea and one minced lamb. Other appetizers included pieces of chicken and lamb tikka that had been marinated in a spicy yogurt sauce before baking.

For soups, Bill tried the shami chicken ($2.50), while I had a special coconut concoction ($2.75). Both were soothing accompaniments to the spicy appetizers, although I couldn't discern the flavor of nuts or cardamom (as described in the menu) in mine.

Moving on to the entrées, Bill once again chose a "variety plate," the tandoori mixed grill ($13.95), while I went with a special for that day, shahi bhindi ($10.95). Bill's grill contained succulent pieces of orange-colored chicken, both boneless and on the bone, tender pieces of lamb kabob, one tandoori shrimp and a generous piece of what looked like lamb sausage, but turned out to be ground lamb baked on a skewer in the tandoor oven.

For those of you who don't know, this is a barrel-shaped clay oven fired with charcoal, which maintains a slow and steady heat, keeping the moisture in the meat as it bakes. Some breads, like the garlic naan ($2.75) we ordered with our meal, are also baked in a tandoor. And the distinctive color of the food comes from the spice marinade applied to the chicken or shrimp just before baking.

For a side dish, I'd never noticed okra on Indian menus before, but our waiter said he ate it every day when he was in India. Since I'm accustomed to it sliced and fried in cornmeal in Southern kitchens, I thought that curry might give a whole new dimension to this oft-maligned vegetable. And it did.

None of the glutinous quality familiar to gumbo-eaters, none of the raw taste that occurs when it's undercooked. The thick okra slices were deliciously spiced with onions, peppers, tomatoes, ginger and other spices, and the curry was nicely accompanied by cardamom-scented basmati rice.

Not to miss dessert, we contemplated such traditional choices as gulab jamun and ras malai, but ultimately gravitated toward the mango and saffron-pistachio ice creams ($2.25). Only later did we learn that the third ice cream on the menu, the kulfi badam, is house-made and a traditional Indian-style dessert.

Well, we'll just have to go back! Indeed, there are so many sauces and dishes to try that at this point, we've only sampled the menu. The next time, we'll be even more adventurous.