Eating Nashville: Curry and Tikka joins growing Indian food scene — and brings the heat

There's been a bit of buzz surrounding Curry and Tikka, an Indian restaurant that opened in the fall in a strip mall off Thompson Lane.

Nashville has an incredible tapestry of international restaurants, and we were excited to see how Curry and Tikka fits into this landscape and the growing Indian restaurant scene here.

Mackensy: Nashville's Indian food options, compared to the size of the city, have sometimes seemed sparse to me. But as many longtime locals know, there's a world of flavor to explore south of downtown, and I was happy to see Curry and Tikka come to a Thompson Lane strip mall.

I was a little concerned after spotting dishes like tikka quesadillas on the menu, but since I'd have my 8-year-old daughter in tow for an outing, I figured she'd find something to eat if she felt daunted by the menu. But 10 minutes into the meal, after declaring the mango lassi the best drink she'd ever had and putting down an admirable portion of Amritsari fish fry, it became clear that Curry and Tikka is a fantastic place to start if you want to expand your kids' culinary horizons.

Brad: Yeah, those, well, fish nuggets were incredible! Perfect fry and seasoning on that fresh tilapia. And I kept digging into that poor 8-year-old's Masala fries. Sorry, not sorry, Lily. On to the "adult" food —

I love, love biryani — spicy proteins served with basmati rice — and the chicken dum biryani we ordered is the best I've had in Nashville. Perfect amount of heat and flavors on fall-off-the-bone-tender chunks of chicken. And the portion was HUGE. Mack, we both had a nice size helping, and I got two more meals from the leftovers. Seemed like each time I ate that dish, I enjoyed it more than the last.

Mack: Biryani is one of those magical meals that gets better the longer it sits. The chicken here was tender, fragrant, cooked perfectly. We had ordered the goat and were told it's no longer available. Here's to hoping that will find its way back to the menu someday.

I loved the fried fish as much as Lily did, and loaded up on it. It was so fresh, so light and airy, that it didn't weigh me down.

I wished the panipuri chaat, with its spiced potato and chickpea filling in a crisp little orb, were airier, but they were still tasty little snacks, especially when spiked with the bracingly bright chili-mint water ― the pani ― served on the side.

But for me, the deeply spiced Kadai Chicken was easily the best entree on a table well-laden with delicious food. I love the relatively dry nature of this wok-cooked dish, which concentrates and brings to the forefront warming spices, chilies and garlic. I could eat Curry and Tikka's version every day without fail, especially with some of that crisp yet soft buttery naan.

Brad: Oh man, that Kadai Chicken was insane! For spice and heat, that dish raced right up to the line of too much without crossing it. I eat a fair amount of Indian food in Nashville — Sindoore in Donelson and Taj on Nolensville Pike have been my faves — but I've never had a show stopper like that Kadai Chicken.

Another dish I loved was the super-rich, smooth butter Masala chicken. For me, it's comfort food with a little kick, maybe the perfect starter dish for your friends who haven't had Indian food yet.

But the panipuri chaat? A surprisingly bland dud for me.

Mack: Absolutely. For people who can't tolerate a ton of spice, the nearly universally beloved murgh makhani, aka butter chicken, is as comforting and warming as a bowl of tomato soup. I didn't want to go along with your order of it, because I, well, thought it was a boring choice. But sometimes classics are classics for a reason, and I relished it with some of that buttery naan both at the table and the following day. Even Lily ate quite a bit of it along with her egg chow mein from the small Indo-Chinese selection of mains.

Curry and Tikka is a bright spot among this area of Nashville's already incredible international restaurants. I plan to return once goat is back on the somewhat chicken-heavy menu. Failing that, the lamb vindaloo was calling my name.

If you go

What: Curry and Tikka is an Indian restaurant with a lunch buffet and a selection of beautifully cooked traditional Indian restaurant fare. Dinner entrees range from $12-19.

Where: 55 E. Thompson Lane #105

More: www.thecurryandtikka.com

What's your favorite Indian restaurant in Nashville? Find Mackensy at mlunsford@tennessean.com or Brad at brad@tennessean.com.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Eating Nashville: Curry and Tikka brings the heat to Indian food scene