Indian buffets are as common as be-goggled winter bicyclists in these parts. From St. Paul's Everest on Grand to Gandhi Mahal in south Minneapolis, you can find yourself a steaming plate of something spicy in virtually any corner of the Twin Cities. But in squeaky-clean Hopkins, where storefronts are young and the dining options predictable, there's a 49-seat spot called Curry 'n' Noodles.
The restaurant bills itself as Indo-Chinese, a now-popular combination in India itself. With the harmony of a billion spices humming in every bite, Indian-rooted fare has a mysterious way of being delicious even when it's not the most expensive or acclaimed.
Curry 'n' Noodles takes this idea, wraps it in cream (a practice typical of northern Indian cooking) and turns it out fat and rich, fit for the most gluttonous king. Bonus: They shun MSG and only use halal meats. The lunch buffet ($9) is good, the naan varieties extensive and the samosas flaky-fantastic. The chili chicken -- a cumin-laced wok creation -- is earthy and decent, but the masala dishes on the evening menu are where things really blow up.
A great example of that northern Indian creaminess is the malai kofta ($11). Soft golden orbs of fried mashed potatoes, like savory doughnut holes, are paired with a yellow curry that has the buttery decadence of something like crème brûlée. In the same vein is saag gosht ($13), a velvety sauce of sautéed spinach and flavorful cream coating tender chunks of almost gamey goat. And the butter chicken ($11) kills, with a kind of tomatoey parmesan tang to its silky sauce.
The mirchi ka salan ($10) is an excellent choice for diners seeking a little more heat. It highlights whole, braised green chiles that look like the biggest, most chartreuse penne pasta you've ever seen. They appear swimming in a creamy peanut and sesame-spiked curry, and let their juices go at the slightest prodding, permeating the dish.
If you haven't quite slurped and buttered yourself into a tight, after-dinner coffin, make a last grab for the gulab jamun ($4). The deadly sweet dessert features toasty milk pastry balls swimming in golden syrup. The burnt caramel edge to the syrup keeps it from sending you from the shop shivering with diabetic convulsions.
Entrees at Curry 'n' Noodles arrive in small metal bowls, precious enough to coo over before ravaging the food inside. And honestly, the level of richness is so great that you need only moisten the rice with a spoonful or two of whatever you've ordered. The portions aren't enormous, but they suit the food's density and high quality.
The Churn
Chef and author Gabrielle Hamilton is bringing the story behind her memoir "Blood, Bones & Butter: The Inadvertent Education of a Reluctant Chef" to the Talk of the Stacks series in Pohlad Hall at the Minneapolis Central Library. (7 p.m. Tue. Free. 300 Nicollet Mall, Mpls. www.supporthclib.org.)
