It is a strange yet familiar phenomenon that although spice is as elemental to Indian cuisine as peppermint is to patty, most Indian food stateside is positively prosaic. That being said, Dale's Indian Cuisine in the new shopping complex at the bottom of Ninth Street is as authentic as both the name and locale suggest.
Most of the traditional favorites like chicken tikka masala lack flair, and the usual intense heat. Many dishes are just vats of sauce. Plump morsels of chicken aren't swimming in curry sauce - they're drowning, yelling, "Someone help me out of this sauce." Dale's succumbs to tingeing their food with so much coloring that the shrimp masala appears to be suffering a cruel form of rosacea. Samosas are crisp and light, but the potato and pea filling, while colorful, is flavorless.
The lack of finesse in the entrees is made up for in creative accompaniments. Nan speckled with fragrant shreds of rosemary and blackened, buttery roti complement the savory dishes well. Both artisinal breads have a unique texture and herb flavor. The mango lassi, a cool drink made with mango puree and yogurt served over ice, is disarmingly good.
Other dishes like the saag paneer - spinach with cubes of cheese - are surprisingly fresh. The tandoori chicken is clean, smooth and not overpowering, and even though the color of the shrimp masala is at best Crayola, it tastes like its fresh off the boat. This quality makes Dale's a notable exception compared to other Indian restaurants in the Triangle.
Unfortunately, desserts like Gulab Juman, small deep fried cake balls, are generic, and the rice pudding tastes like Kozy Shack.
It's very easy to be cynical about Indian food in the states, as it is with many other Americanized ethnic foods from Chinese to Moroccan. With a relaxed, unpretentious climate, Dale's is simply a nice place for chatting over a cheap lunch buffet. Sitting outside on the veranda is a good touch, and if you close your eyes and ignore the Biscuit King across the street, on a hot summer day, with a little imagination, it almost feels like Bombay.
- Whitney Robinson
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