Ajanta
1888 Solano Ave.
Berkeley, CA
510.526.4373
| posthoc's Late Night Restaurant Guide |
India has 25 states and seven territories, with 24 recognized languages and countless dialects. Understandably, India’s cuisine encompasses more than the usual curries, biriyanis and dosas. There is no better place to become better educated about diverse Indian cuisine than Ajanta in Berkeley.
Owner Lachu Moorjani changes a portion of the menu each month and features dishes from various regions of India. Some elements of the menu do remain constant, however: there are always vegetarian dishes, chicken dishes and lamb dishes.
Try the veggie dishes—they will please even a raving carnivore! Badal jam, fried eggplant topped with tomato sauce and spiced, thickened yogurt, is a masterpiece; the eggplant arrives looking solid but melts immediately upon arrival in your mouth. Ajanta does offer curries, three of them at the moment: a wonderfully fresh tasting prawn curry; palak kofta, with balls of vegetables and spices in a creamy curry; and navrattan korma, a mixed vegetable curry.
Standard non-veggie item include the Tandoor fish, which brings a new dimension to the Chilean sea bass that is generally used; the chicken dishes, which are unusually tender; and the lamb korma, at which my dining companions grunted clearly in approval.
The service at Ajanta is understated: quietly polite and unobtrusive, but timely. The atmosphere is relatively casual, yet elegant. The price range for lunch entrees is from $5.50 to $7.95; dinner entrees from $11.50 to $14.50; appetizers from $1.00 to $4.95.
One word to the wise: at Ajanta, hot is HOT. When in doubt, order things on the mild side. If, however, you end up with a plate of fire, signal your waiter; Moorjani says he would rather re-prepare a dish so the customer will enjoy it than have someone suffer through something too hot. Ajanta. 1888 Solano Ave. (near The Alameda), Berkeley, 510.526.4373. Open 7 days: lunch, 11:30 – 2:30pm; dinner, 5:30 – 9:30 pm.
--Marguerite Sprague
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