If you have traversed the intersection of North Craig Street and Centre
Avenue in North Oakland lately, you have probably noticed that Indica Indian
Bistro has opened for business. A 120-year old house was beautifully restored
and renovated to provide the setting for this new restaurant in a corner of
Pittsburgh that has, sadly, seen several local businesses close their doors.
Hardwood floors, tall windows, and fresh flowers greet guests in Indica's lobby.
But, as we all know, no setting is wonderful enough to draw returning customers
if the food itself falls short of expectations. And in this all-important
category, Indica is still finding its feet.
We kicked off our supper with an Ethnic Sampler appetizer for $6.99. The sampler
includes, as the name suggests, a sampling of several other appetizer options:
mirchi bajji, a sort of Indian chile relleno that is stuffed with sweet and sour
chutney and then deep fried; masala vada, fried lentil dumplings seasoned with
onions and herbs; and vada, warm donuts made of lentil flour batter. All of the
appetizers were tasty, but were served with an alarmingly spicy house chutney.
If you do opt for an appetizer at Indica, beware the sauce!
The menu of entrees, which changes daily, includes about a dozen items. Each is
served with vegetables, dal (lentil stew), rice, and a side salad. Whew - no
chance of leaving hungry! The entrees vary on all counts: tastiness, spiciness,
and costliness. The Bagera Eggplant, eggplant sauteed in tamarind sauce, had a
wonderful flavor with just the right amount of heat. Meanwhile the flavor of the
Vegetable Kofta, veggie dumplings in a creamy curry sauce, was overwhelmingly
spicy. More than once, I reached for my water in a panic. Both dishes cost
$12.99. More costly (though tempting) dinners include catfish cooked in tamarind
sauce and shrimp grilled in the clay oven. This last item is the menu's most
expensive, at $18.99.
Overall, Indica's lunch buffet is recommended more enthusiastically than the
dinner. The buffet costs $8.99 (or $6.99 for a take-out box), and includes fresh
naans. Naan is Indian flatbread, baked in a tandoor oven, and Indica offers
several varieties: plain, buttered, onion, garlic, and whole wheat. The buffet
itself includes a selection of entrees and desserts from the dinner menu. It's
the most affordable way to enjoy the best of Indica.
Address: 257 North Craig St.
Phone: 412.605.0500
Lunch Hours: 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Dinner Hours: 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., Tuesday to Thursday
5:30 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., Friday and Saturday
Closed on Monday
Web Site: www.indicabistro.com