Desi Wok, family-style
Wednesday night it was just my wife, the baby, and I -- big brother was at choir camp, big sister was staying with Grandma -- so we decided to try dinner at Desi Wok, the Indian/Chinese restaurant on Hudson just north of 41st.
The food was very good. We had the chicken tikka masala and the shrimp Thai pepper stir fry.
The service was friendly, too. The baby got restless after a while in his high chair, so I took him out and tried to hold him on my lap while I continued eating while not letting him within grabbing reach of my plate. One of the waitress/order-takers, who had been flirting with him earlier, asked if she could hold him for a while. We said sure, and for the next 10 minutes or so, she or one of her coworkers held him behind the cash register. It was like being at a big family dinner and a cousin offers to hold the baby while you finish eating.
We wouldn't ordinarily pass our baby off to a stranger, but we were at the nearest table to the register, so I could (and did) keep a close eye, and there were enough people around that there would have been plenty of witnesses if anything bad had happened. And I think we felt more comfortable because it seemed to be a restaurant that, like a number of Asian places around town, was owned and operated by an extended family. At this sort of restaurant, it's not unusual to see aunts and cousins, older folks and small children around the restaurant, sometimes helping, sometimes just visiting.
Friendly place, good food, reasonable prices, and, as far as I know, the only place you can get Indian food around town without going to south Tulsa.
Michael -
I agree Desi Wok is great! There have been a couple Indian places north of 71st but they don't seem to last more than a year.
There's a small, family owned place a block or so south of 61st and Garnett called Indian Corner. There are only a few items on the buffet, but it's very good. The owner told me they don't use pre-made sauces as do many of the places, rather they make theirs from scratch.
I've eaten at Indian Corner. Not only did I enjoy the food, but I was highly entertained by the Bollywood musical/drama playing on the satellite TV. There's a little Indian video and food shop just next door.
Desi Wok is definately a breath of fresh air compared to traditional indian buffets or fine dining places, buffets dont hold up quality of the food and fine dining restaurants get so expensive that you cannot afford to go for your every day meals,
Food here is fast food priced, quick service, and wait until you take the first bite of tikka masala, you will be amazed how much flavor is in a simple looking tikka masala