Based on 1 review.
City Paper Review
Situated on the upper level of the Market Common—a residential-retail development that suggests life can be boiled down to an addictive syrup of Williams-Sonoma, Jos. A. Bank, Barnes & Noble, and the Apple store—Tandoori Nights is one of the few businesses here that doesn’t need a store locator on its Web site. The Clarendon branch of Tandoori Nights is merely the first outpost of the upscale Indian eatery that owners Anil and Shivani Miglani originally launched six years ago in Gaithersburg. But if any local Indian restaurant—whether Rasika or Indique—seems like a chain waiting to happen, it’s Tandoori Nights. Which is not the crack you may think it is. This place knows how to turn out good, not great, Subcontinental food on a consistent basis, in a setting that’s both plush and friendly. The chicken makhani—that’s butter chicken to you—favors a creamy, aromatic lushness over searing heat, without raising any red flags. The lamb rogan josh may be a tad too oily, but its curry sauce is fragrant, complex, and satisfying to the bone. The chef’s tandoori fish special—a whole, head-on butterfish on the night I went—comes out of the clay oven moist, crispy, and flavorful, no mean feat, that. Best of all may be Tandoori Night’s vegetarian dish of malai kofta, potato-and-cheese croquettes swimming in a creamy curry. Tandoori Nights also pushes a martini menu, which may not be traditionally Indian, but it’s pure Clarendon.
—Tim Carman,
December 14, 2007
Rater Comments
These comments express the opinions of individual Restaurant Raters, not those of Washington City Paper.
Review by Sue on February 16, 2007
Tandoori Nights is not your standard Indian restaurant. The space was clearly designed with fashion and comfort in mind, with heavy use of beautiful woods, sweeping fabric, and colors that feast the eyes. The food matches this impressive decor - some traditional dishes as well as many you can't find anywhere else, such as small white eggplants in a delicate, creamy orange cashew sauce. I enjoyed all my five or so dinners here and three lunches immensely. Prices are good, service is excellent, and there's never an off night in the kitchen. However, despite the fact that if you don't plan in time you won't be able to get reservations anywhere else in this city on Valentine's Day, Tandoori Nights - like many other fine establishments - has adopted the "offer less, charge more" Valentine's Day dinner. For nearly $10 more than you would normally pay for an appetizer and entree, you receive a fixed price menu with limited options for these two courses ($25 for veggie, $30 for carnivores), along with a dessert (both the ones we sampled left much to be desired) and two "free" glasses of champagne. The ceiling is littered with heart-shaped helium balloons (one of which they will give you on you way out; how sweet), and the music is so loud and grating and unromantic, it makes you want to eat fast. Despite the fact that we got a choice booth, we were outta there in an hour.
