Restaurant Review: India Clay Oven- Nirvana for Your Mouth

Whenever my brother doesn’t know what to eat for dinner, he usually calls me up for suggestions and vice versa. In his infinite knowledge, he thought Indian food would hit the spot. Tasty Curry, Naan and Curry, and Tikka Masala came to mind, but I was a bit tired of food from the Inner Sunset region of India, where kormas taste like saags and aloos taste like masalas. Though a little farther from the UCSF beaten path and for a couple of bucks more, the trip to India Clay Oven is worth it when you feel like eating Indian food that has transcended to a higher level.

The décor of the restaurant was refreshingly elegant and classy. High ceilings and large windows gave the restaurant an open, airy feeling while the warm wood trim and dark orange paint made the place feel inviting and comfortable. The wait staff was even attentive and courteous, filling our glasses before the water ever reached the bottom. It easily could have been a restaurant serving entrées for $15 to 20 each. But instead, the average dish ran from $7 to 12. While waiting for our orders, we were served papadum, crisp lentil wafers, with a spicy green mint chutney as well as a hot and sour tamarind chutney. This made for a nice appetizer, but we did not have to wait long since our orders arrived in a timely manner.

The first dish ordered was bhindi masala ($7.95), consisting of fresh cut okra, chopped onion and stewed tomatoes. Okra is a fickle vegetable- if overcooked, it becomes slimy and gooey. While this is acceptable in some preparations of okra, the freshness of the okra was the emphasis of this dish. As such, it was supple and relatively firm. Okra’s subtle essence was contrasted by the pungent onions and garlic and the acidity of the tomatoes, creating a dish of balanced flavors.

The next dish that followed was a generous serving of lamb vindaloo ($10.95), a stew made mostly of lamb and a few potatoes. The lamb had a hint of gaminess, not overwhelming, but just enough to let you know that it was lamb. Each piece was tender, like eating a pat of butter. The sauce was spicy, but not to the point of overwhelming the dish. It can be ordered as mild, medium, or spicy (we ordered medium). The only minor complaint was that there were only a few potatoes, but that was easily overlooked.

The last dish we ordered was the chicken tikka kabab ($11.95)- boneless cubes of chicken cooked in a tandoor oven and served on a sizzling platter with onions and red and green peppers. We were hesitant to order this dish since this is usually hit or miss. At worst, the chicken is dry and tasteless. But at best, it is smoky, flavorful, tender and moist. Their preparation was right on and the amount they gave was very liberal.

Along with the above dishes, we had an order of paratha ($2.00), buttered multi-layered whole wheat bread. While it was a little on the dry side, it went extremely well with the sauce of the bhindi masala and/or the vindaloo. To drink, we ordered a mango lassi ($2.75), a sweet drink made of Indian mango juice and tangy homemade yogurt. If you have not had it before, I would say its consistency is closest to a smoothie. Most lassis are very sweet, which are fine by me. But this lassi was not overly sweet; the tanginess of the yogurt was excellent in balancing the sweetness of the mango juice.

Many of the Indian restaurants featuring food from the Inner Sunset region of India are not bad. But after a while, the different entrées on one plate begin to blend into one taste. Here, the flavors of each entrée is bold and distinct, yet complement one another when eaten together. I was extremely impressed with my brother’s choice and will definitely be making treks out to this restaurant to try some of the other dishes offered on this extensive menu.

India Clay Oven

2436 Clement St.

San Francisco, CA 94121