Typically, I might hear the name “Griddle Gourmet” and assume it belonged to a pancake or breakfast-oriented restaurant. But when I heard about the new Griddle Gourmetin Knoxville and learned it was focused on Indian food, I was happy to throw all my assumptions out the window. I geared up for a trip out to enjoy one of my favorite categories of ethnic cuisine with The Grub Spouse, who is not quite the Indian-food fan that I am.
The restaurant, which is at the intersection of Bexhill Drive and Ebenezer Road, makes a striking first visual impression. The large, open dining room and bar space borders on upscale in appearance and features a stunning wall-sized mural depicting a Knoxville cityscape with a six-armed chef in the foreground. The god-like
character, which smiles down on patrons from his elevated vantage point, is holding multiple dishes and is, if nothing else, a conversation starter. Also, the large bar area is stunning.
I passed on libations, my attention directed to the menu instead. There are several categories of small plates, including six varieties of chaats, vegetable and protein-filled rolls, and, similarly, a decent selection of both vegetarian and non-vegetarian appetizers. The former includes samosas and mushroom galouti, while the latter features items like tandoori lamb chops, pesto chicken tikka and The Spouse’s ultimate selection, the lamb sheikh kebab ($20.99). This is a serving of five minced lamb skewers seasoned with herbs and spices that The Spouse chose to function as an entrée.
I claimed the sections of curry-based entrees for my own. Again, these are divided into veggie and meat-based dishes, ranging from paneer khurchan (shredded cheese tossed with vegetables) and zafrani malai kofta (vegetable dumplings) to lamb vindaloo and my pick for the evening, the classic chicken tikka masala ($20.99). Typically, I prefer a korma sauce, but in this instance, that was available in the veggie section only.
Rounding out the menu are several platters showcasing various cheeses and vegetables as well as more than a half-dozen dal and rice dishes. And as one might expect, there’s a section of multiple varieties of naan. We ordered the cheese-filled naan for $7.99. We didn’t try any side dishes that night, but options include roasted papad with chutney, plain raita and plain yogurt.
The interval between ordering and receiving our plates tableside was not uncomfortably long but perhaps a shade longer than I typically experience. I’m happy to say, however, that the payoff was more than worth it.
I loved everything I tried, starting with The Spouse’s lamb kebabs, which were seasoned wonderfully and served with raw onions and a yogurt-based sauce. My chicken tikka masala was heavenly — flavorful, aromatic and accompanied by jasmine rice cooked to perfection. Even the warm, buttery naan impressed with its soft shell and gooey, cheesy filling.
Typically, I don’t indulge in desserts at Indian-food restaurants, but I was too intrigued by Griddle Gourmet’s selection not to. Options include various puddings and yogurt-based desserts; we tried one of the latter, the blueberry cheesecake shrikhand ($11.99). The menu refers to it as frozen yogurt, but that’s misleading. It’s more like a rich, creamy yogurt than ice cream, but the generous portion of cool, fruity filling comes with notes of blueberry and cheesecake flavors.
On the whole, the pricing structure struck me as being a little higher than average, but between the setting, the quality of the food and the diligence of the service team, I did not feel slighted in the least for indulging in what I considered to be an excellent South-Asian meal.
Griddle Gourmet
Food: 4.25
Service: 4
Atmosphere: 4.5
Overall: 4.25
Address: 1403 Bexhill Drive
Phone: 865-888-0012
Full bar service
Hours: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Wednesdays through Mondays
Bottom line: This new Indian-food eatery has a strong food game and lays out a welcoming environment for gatherings that are more social in nature.
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Griddle Gourmet offers a fresh take on Indian cuisine | Grub Scout
