dining around
the D
Aroma Indian Cuisine
M
etro Detroit does not lack
only, I think) are roasted in a clay tan-
for excellent Indian restau- door oven, then placed in a creamy,
rants, particularly in Troy,
orange-colored masala (spice mix) sauce.
Canton, Farmington and Farmington
For Tandoori Chicken, the better-known
Hills. A place has to be exceptional to
use of a tandoor oven, various chicken
stand out, and based on its lunchtime
pieces are marinated first in yogurt and
buffet alone, that one for me is Aroma
spices. There is no sauce. I’ve never had
Indian Cuisine.
moister tandoori chicken than at Aroma.
Sathish Radhakrishnan, a
The buffet includes two
native of Madras in the south
soups, two appetizers, an Indo-
of India, opened Aroma in
Chinese veggie with noodle
December 2014. It’s in a strip
entree, four vegetable dishes,
mall on the east side of Orchard
one always with paneer, a fried
Lake Road, between 12 and 13
or grilled fish choice, several
Mile roads in Farmington Hills.
meat dishes and much more.
Aroma replaced the former
“We’re the only one with
Udipi Vegetarian Restaurant,
boneless
lamb on a buffet,”
Esther
whose owners retired.
Radhakrishnan said. Goat
Allweiss
I recommend the lunch
curry is available on weekends,
Ingber
Contributing
buffet at Aroma, which has at
although I saw it on a Friday.
least 40 items — far more than Writer
Tender meat is on those bones.
offered at most Indian buffets
Beverages include a pink
— but also for the quality of the
concoction, due to the rosewa-
cooking.
ter, called Rose Milk, and Indian-style
Credit goes to Radhakrishnan,
Masala tea. The buffet is a dollar more
Aroma’s main chef. He earned a master’s on Friday (up to $11.99) because it
degree in culinary arts in India prior to
includes a slightly sweetened Mango
joining Detroit-based relatives 16 years
Milkshake. The milkshake dispenser is
ago.
placed at the end of the line following
Fans of both North and South Indian
desserts, such as Gajar Ka Halwa — grat-
cuisine should enjoy this buffet. It
ed carrots cooked with milk and sugar.
is available from 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m.
The buffet costs $12.99 on Saturday and
Tuesday-Friday, and 11:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Sunday.
Saturday and Sunday. Monday is the res-
Close to 200 menu items are featured
taurant’s day off.
at dinner, which begins at 5 p.m. I’ve
“Our most popular items are the
heard recommendations for North
very common dishes, like Samosa,
Indian dishes Bendi Masala, lightly
Butter Chicken, Palak Paneer, Chicken
spiced okra in an onion and tomato
Tikka Masala and Tandoori Chicken,”
curry, and Saag Chicken, simmered with
Radhakrishnan said. “Most Americans
spinach and spices.
like those dishes.”
Deccan Spice is a dinner category
The many Asian individuals I’ve seen
featuring the “cuisine of Andhra Pradesh
lining up at the buffet, whether native-
and Telangana states in South India and
born or immigrant, apparently agree,
famous for its tangy and spicy taste.”
too.
For Guthi Vankaya, baby eggplants are
For those in need of definitions,
sauteed and simmered in a sesame and
Samosa is a fried or baked snack. The
peanut-flavored sauce, while Allam
vegetable-style, my preference, may
Mamsam Iguru is a ginger-flavored lamb
include a mixture of spiced potatoes,
delicacy.
onions, peas and/or lentils. The meat
The dining room is unremarkable yet
variety could be filled with minced lamb, pleasant, and I liked that my water glass
chicken or beef.
was not ignored.
Butter Chicken has chunks of chicken
Most of all, the food is amazing!
smothered in a mildly spiced tomato-
cream sauce. Palak Paneer is a vegetarian
Aroma Indian Cuisine
dish consisting of spinach, tomato gravy
29210 Orchard Lake Road
sauce and paneer (mild homemade
Farmington Hills, MI 48334
cheese). Both of these are “best-ever”
Phone: (248) 626-6034
renditions in my experience with Indian
www.aromamichigan.com
food.
$$½ out of $$$$$
Chicken Tikka Masala is a dish whose
marinated chunks of chicken (breast
*
Denis Matsuev
by Pavel Antonov
Denis Matsuev
Sunday, October 16 // 4 pm
Hill Auditorium
Denis Matsuev stands out as a virtuoso in the grandest Russian
piano tradition. Since his 1998 triumph in the 11th International
Tchaikovsky Competition, he has established himself as one of
the most prominent pianists of his generation. He returns for
LMWƪJXL917ETTIEVERGIŞERHWIGSRHVIGMXEPŞXSSTIRXLI
XL917'LSVEP9RMSR7IVMIWŢ)ZIRMRXSHE]ŠWSZIVVYRTMERS
virtuoso market, Denis Matsuev stands out…He possesses an epic
technique, playing with seemingly superhuman speed, power, and
agility.” (Boston Globe)
PROGRAM
&IIXLSZIR
7GLYQERR
Liszt
Tchaikovsky
4VSOSƪIZ
7SREXE2SMR%ƫEX1ENSV3T
7]QTLSRMG)XYHIW3T
Mephisto Waltz, S. 514
Meditation, Op. 72, No. 5
7SREXE2SMR&ƫEX1ENSV3T Ţ7XEPMRKVEHţ
4 6 ) 7 ) 2 8 - 2 + 7 4 3 2 7 3 6
7944368-2+7432736
1 ) ( - % 4% 6 8 2 ) 6 7
WGTE 91.3 FM
WRCJ 90.9 FM
Catherine S. Arcure
Endowment Fund
ums.org
734.764.2538
2115530
October 6 • 2016
47