Sweetheart

This funky storefront restaurant keeps Shrewsbury Street spicy

by Margaret LeRoux

Sweetheart Restaurant 270 Shrewsbury Street, Worcester 752-3700 Lunch Mon.-Sat. 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Dinner Mon.-Sun. 5-10 p.m. Major credit cards Wine, beer Handicap accessible

For someone who grew up in northern Wisconsin, where cottage cheese and tuna hot dish were staples, it's ironic that my comfort food is Indian. My brothers and sister turn to mashed potatoes and gravy, but in times of stress, I seek out papadams and mint chutney. So it was fitting that after a particularly trying week, my companion and I dined at Sweetheart Restaurant on Shrewsbury Street.

One of the few non-Italian restaurants on the street, Sweetheart is a funky little storefront, where a wait staff treat diners with respect and assist those unfamiliar with Indian spices by describing the various dishes. When we dined on a recent Saturday evening, we were first led to a booth in the dimly lighted back room (Hint: try to avoid this room; the lights are green and you feel like an outcast eating there). But our request for the first available booth in the front room was filled within minutes.

We've been to Sweetheart many times and have eaten our way through the extensive menu. On this visit, we noticed that the wine list has expanded since the last time we dined, but my personal recommendation is to try one of the Indian beers. We chose King Fisher ($2.75), a light brew, and Taj Mahal ($4.75), which is dark and heavier.

What has remained my ultimate favorite is Sweetheart's mint chutney. At lunch it's served with complimentary papadams; at dinner it's a separate side order (95 cents) but be sure to add it to your meal. The papadams are thin, crisp crackers spiced with cracked pepper. The gorgeous green chutney is made from fresh, finely chopped mint mixed with sugar, vinegar, and hot pepper. It tastes sweet, sour, hot, and refreshing at the same time and is unlike any condiment I've ever had.

We shared the vegetable platter ($4.95), which includes vegetable pakoras, fritters deep fried in chick pea batter; samosa, crisp fried vegetable and spices also fried in batter; and paneer pakora, thick slices of homemade cheese and more spices. A delicate and tangy tamarind dipping sauce accompanies the vegetable platter. We supplemented it with side orders of mango chutney ($1.25), a sweet jam of mangoes, onions, and spices; and raita (95 cents), cucumbers, mint, and chopped tomatoes mixed into cold yogurt, a soothing contrast to the other spicy dishes. I also recommend the creamy coconut soup ($1.95).

You could make a meal of Sweetheart's grilled and tandoori baked breads. We've eaten poori ($2.25), a fried, puffed bread, and chapati ($1.25), the traditional grilled Indian bread. The night we dined, many platters of tandoori breads, baked in a clay oven and stuffed with a variety of fillings, passed by our booth. They include aloo nan, which is filled with herbs and spices; onion nan (both $2.95); and keema nan ($3.95), filled with a mixture of minced lamb, onions, herbs, and spices.

Sweetheart's menu is divided among chicken, lamb, seafood, and vegetarian specialties, as well as five biryanies, where basmati rice is mixed with your choice of vegetables ($9.95), chicken ($9.95), lamb ($10.95), and shrimp ($11.95).

On a past visit I've enjoyed shrimp malai ($10.95), jumbo shrimp topped with a delicious sauce made from a mixture of cream, coconut, sliced almonds, cashews, and green peas. This time, I returned to another old favorite, chicken korma ($9.95), chunks of boneless chicken breast in a dreamy sauce of cream, cashews, sliced almonds, raisins, and Indian spices. This must be the Indian version of fried chicken and gravy, for it tastes both exotic and homey. You can have it cooked mild, medium, or spicy; my choice, medium, had the slightest hint of pepper. A small plate of jasmine rice is served alongside; I used it to sop up every bit of the wonderful sauce.

My companion chose lamb do-piaza ($9.95), roasted with tomatoes, green peppers, and spices. It was heartier than my dish; the lamb was tender and the vegetables slightly crunchy.

We finished off our meal with a dessert of gulab jamun ($1.95), two cinnamon-infused sponge cake fritters served in a sauce of honey and rosewater. They tasted as rich as marzipan; a cup of masala tea ($1) made with milk, sugar, and spices is the perfect accompaniment.

Thoroughly comforted by Sweetheart's food, we were soothed too by the modest bill of $39.70 not including tip.