Chef of India

Following a quick return to Cocke 'n Kettle

by Jim Johnson

Chef of India Restaurant
97 Boston Turnpike (Route 9 in Quinsigamond Plaza)
Shrewsbury
793-9888
Daily 11:30 a.m.-10:30 p.m.
(Lunch buffet daily until 3 p.m.)
Major credit cards
Handicap accessible

You may remember that I visited the Cocke 'n Kettle a few weeks back. Joining me that evening were my dad, Melvyn Johnson, his wife, Beth, and my 11-year-old half-brother, Stephen. My dad was so inspired by our visit that he wrote his own restaurant review. In June, he turns 80; he's an unusual man whose fine qualities I hope I'm not too late appreciating.

At the bottom of his typed summary, he wrote, "I wanted to thank you in a unique way for a unique evening." Before moving on to Chef of India, I'd like to thank him by sharing his review with you:

"As we finished our travel down the winding country road, we came upon a white, gaily lit oasis in the dark: the Cocke 'n Kettle. It was a rambling building decorated with holiday cheer, warm and welcoming with undercurrents of muted conversation and laughter. Our gracious host [that would be me] had already arrived, and we were directed promptly to his table.

"Our waitress was knowledgeable and pleasant, but non-obstrusive. As she and the busboys glided about the crowded room [actually, he typed doom, but I'm sure he meant room, though he's a psychiatrist, so it may have been a Freudian slip], their rhythm was like a ballet.

"Then there were the popovers! Like clouds of fluffy crust, they were warm and succulent.

"This was followed by corn fritters so light they had to be eaten rapidly before they floated from the dish. Escargot on mushroom caps, flavored with a year's crop of a California garlic harvest. Lobster bisque, piping hot, with a suggestion of sherry and a bold reminder of chopped lobster. Cream of spinach soup a Florentine would be proud of.

"Prime rib of dinosaur proportions; veal saltimbocca floating in a sea of insouciance. Trout with crab and lobster topping, defying description.

"And then: desserts of heavenly ambrosia, another taste of those corn fritters, served by the winner of the smile contest.

"Highly recommended! Four stars!

"Caution: Portions are large, and careful consideration should be exercised by families with septic systems."

About that last comment: My dad lives in rural Rhode Island and has a cesspool that always get clogged. The septic system reference was absolutely not an indication of bowel obsession or, in fact, of any neurosis. Okay, I know what you're thinking, but, honest, no one in my family is the slightest bit neurotic -- or defensive, for that matter. We're the poster family for sanity. Ward and June. Marcus Welby. No dysfunction here. No way. Now what did he mean by doom? And where did I leave my Paxil?

Anyhow, on to the Chef of India. Almost every Indian restaurant I've visited has had attentive, respectful service, and Chef of India is no exception. My guest and I were greeted with a gracious bow and led to our table, where we quickly ordered some garlic nan ($2.95), one of a dozen types of bread on the menu. Nan makes up half the list; it's a somewhat puffy bread baked in clay ovens, with ingredients like chicken, potatoes, onion, or -- in the case of badami nan -- sliced almonds, poppy seeds, and hand-peeled cantaloupe seeds. I also ordered a glass of mango lassi ($2.50), a refreshing yogurt drink sweetened with honey, sugar, and rose water.

We continued with the chef platter ($6.95), a generous, tasty selection of appetizers. We especially enjoyed the vegetable, cheese, and chicken pakoras (chickpea fritters) and the lamb samosas (turnovers).

Vegetarians have plenty of choices, like alu gobi (fresh cauliflower and potatoes), palak panir (chopped spinach, cheese, tomatoes, and onions cooked with cream, garlic, and fresh ginger), and jeera alu (no ingredients listed, but a great description: "A battle of spices in a pond of yogurt, with you appointed as umpire"). There is also a handful of low-cal items, primarily chicken, lamb, and shrimp kebabs baked in clay ovens.

Curries make up about a third of the menu, divided into lamb, chicken, and seafood. Many items were familiar, including a variety of spicy vindaloos and creamy saags with spinach. Other choices weren't familiar, like kadais served with green chilies and coriander in copper woks.

My tablemate chose the baingan bharta ($8.95), moist and smoky eggplant baked over an open flame and served with herbs and spices. I took the "Bridegroom's Platter" ($12.95), a one-plate buffet with moist and tender tandoori chicken (marinated in yogurt and then baked), seekh kebab (minced lamb mixed with onions and herbs and baked on skewers), chicken tikka masala (tender chicken chunks cooked in spicy red sauce), chana masala (chickpeas in sauce), saffron rice, raita (whipped yogurt with cubed potatoes, chopped cucumbers, and fresh coriander), and kheer (rice pudding).

I enjoyed dinner so much, I returned a few days later for the lunch buffet, which I found fresh and varied, with many of the same items, including tandoori chicken that was even better than the first visit.

The prices are reasonable, the service is excellent, the setting is pleasant, and the food is good. Go for it.