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Restaurants these days rarely survive without serious PR spin-doctoring, but once in a while, a few gems turn up and succeed purely on the basis of the food they serve.

Indian restaurant Queens Crystal Garden on Jupiter Street, Makati has been around for a while now and has not engaged in as much hype as its contemporaries, but its list of VIP regulars is quite impressive for such a low-key venue that often gets mistaken for a Chinese restaurant (seems the words “crystal” and “garden” are automatically associated with siomai and stir-frying).

I’ve been a fan of Indian food since the days when Assad’s Mini Mart on UN Avenue was the only place in Metro Manila for satisfying paneer and masala cravings (these were sold in processed packs imported from India), but obviously, not everyone is as devoted.  I know of someone who is so averse to Indian food that she loads her suitcases with Lucky Me whenever she has to go to India on business.

Shame, shame!  You don’t know what you’re missing!

If you, too, have ambivalent feelings about Indian food, go to Queens to be converted.  Owner Rubbina Hathiramani has given us her Top 5 recommendations below.  Aside from Indian food, the restaurant also serves Indonesian, Singaporean, and Chinese dishes.

Top 5 Appetizers:

Chicken Satay, Indonesian chicken barbeque with peanut sauce, P260 for 10 sticks

Paneer Sona Pizza, basic curry pizza with paneer tikka (cottage cheese), P180

Papadum Masala, fried delicate thin crispy bread with special masala, P105

Gado Gado, traditional Indonesian salad of assorted boiled vegetables with peanut sauce, P190

Samosa, a savoury appetizer of puff pastry filled with spiced potatoes and peas or meat and deep fried till golden brown, P80-120 for 4 pieces, depending on the filling

Top 5 Main Courses:

Nasi Goreng Seafood, Indonesian seafood fried rice, P280

Singapore Chilli Crab, P900

Chicken Patiala, tender boneless pieces of chicken wrapped in egg and topped with fresh tomato gravy and cheese, P260

Rogan Josh, mutton pieces cooked in the traditional Kashmir masala with saffron and yoghurt, a Kashmiri specialty, P290

Dhal Fry, mixed lentils with tempering of currant,garlic and butter, P220

Best-selling dessert:

Pistachio Kulfi, Indian cream, pistachio flavored

Yum!  I’m getting hungry!

In Hindu belief, the cow is sacred and the pig is dirty, which explains why 80 of the dishes on Queens’s menu are vegetarian.  Meat-lovers can partake of the goat, lamb, chicken, and seafood dishes. 

Since the days of trekking to Assad’s for canned paneer, a number of Indian restaurants have sprouted around town.  They come in all forms, from no-frills cantinas to carpeted enclaves dripping in bronze decor, but I’d have to say Queens is my favorite.  Swagat on Rada Street, Legaspi Village is a very close second (atmosphere more Bollywood, more casual than Queens).

Queens is located at 146-C Jupiter Street, Makati City (between Makati Avenue and Nicanor Garcia street). Opening hours from: 11:30 am to 2:30 pm and 6:30 pm to 10:30 pm. Telephone numbers: 8951316 and 8951816. Email: queens_rest@hotmail.com.  Catering available.   

This entry was posted on Wednesday, January 31st, 2007 at 4:11 pm and is filed under Food and Drink. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.