Urban Turban
Papadum with mint and mango chutney
Samosa Chat – Deep Fried Filo Packets filled with Spiced Potato Mash Filling drizzled with Yogurt and Green Chutney
Dry Fruit Whole Wheat Bread – Flat bread stuffed with Cashews, Almonds, Raisins, and brushed with butter
Lamb Kheema Pav – Traditional Masala Lamb with Toasted Buns
Paneer Tikka – Oven Grilled Tandoori Sauce Marinated Cottage Cheese Cubes
Pav Bhaji – Mixed Sauce of Mashed Vegetables garnished with Butter and Cilantro with Toasted Buns
Bombay Butter Chicken with Butter Naan and Basmati Rice – Tandoori Chicken cooked in Tomato blended Sauces with Chilies, Honey, Cashew, Cream
Bombay Lamb Masala with Butter Naan and Basmati Rice – Tender cooked Lamb Bites cooked in famous curry sauces
Five Herb Noodles – Wok Tossed Egg Noodles
Paan Shot – Betel Leaf thickened with Milk
Chocolate Samosa – Crispy Filo Pastry filled with dark chocolate
Admittedly entering New Zealand one-off Urban Turban with mixed feelings based on the tardiness of a tablemate and previous experiences with below average Indian cuisine outside of hot spots in BC or DC it was just after 5:15 when the owner/operator stopped by the table at Urban Turban to explain the concept of ‘tapas’ and having already perused the menu through the assistance of Yelp pictures, as the restaurant apparently cannot update a simple website, a large order was soon crafted – our server not really offering much aside from the occasional water refill and dropping-off of plates.
Located in a small plaza off Paradise, just a minute from the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino by car, Urban Turban is the sort of place one wants to like on entering, and with largely benign décor aside from the whimsical rickshaw sitting beside the hostess podium the focus seems to be on the food moreso than the scene – a wide view of a gleaming kitchen flanked by chalkboards revealing a number of Chef’s working diligently on plates whose results would unfortunately prove average, at best.
Starting off with appetizers before progressing to proper plates and curries it was with a trio of free Papadum that the meal began and with the flavor mostly that of oil it was thankfully the mango chutney that made the crisp pastry far more interesting, though the green ‘mint’ version was flavored much like bile – overly heated, viciously acidic, and not particularly something one should strive for in any sort of cuisine.
Next served a quintet of plates that quickly covered the table it was with some confusion that I looked upon a menu item described as “Dry Fruit Whole Wheat Bread” and with neither fruit nor nuts evident I attest to this moment we were simply served the wrong thing, though the server assured us this was indeed the correct item.
Largely ignoring the lack of fruit and instead using the ‘whole wheat’ Naan to scoop up the first bites of a duo of Pav, suffice it to say that unless one is vegetarian the Lamb version shows far superior to a more traditional take that serves as little more than muddled vegetable mush meant to be served on bread and turning attention to an impressive Paneer Tikka presentation with tangy cubes amidst earthy aromatics it was a thankful circumstance that the Samosa Chat was only lightly drizzled with green chutney, thus allowing one to augment the largely flavorless pocket with the red version instead.
Investing the rest of our appetites in bottomless curries that featured excellent basmati rice and par-for-the-course buttered Naan alongside bowls containing less than two ounces of protein each, it can only be said that at prices ranging $10-$17 the better bet is to visit one of the many local Indian buffets if one is merely looking for a ‘fill up’ and partaking lightly in the dirty tastingLamb Masala as well as overly sweet Buttered Chicken a bit of credit is due to the owner for suggesting the seemingly out-of-place noodles – a show stopper of well-tuned aromatics that at least gives one hope that the kitchen could improve the rest of the recipes as time goes on.
Ordering three Paan Shots that again saw the kitchen offer up something balanced and refined it was largely the lack of traditional Indian desserts that led to the final selection of Chocolate Samosas, but having experienced a similarly underwhelming dessert at Nosh & Swig just a few months prior it can only be said that this one was slightly better – the house made ice cream and melted chocolate at least helping to offset the same oily taste that had marred the papadum, though the $7.95 price tag seemed rather excessive for something so underwhelming and small.
TWO STARS: Suggested as ‘urban tapas,’ and thus seeming to purport a modern take on tradition, Urban Turban really only seems to shine when sticking to simpler plates and with ingredients that really seem no better than the typical Indian Buffet in an environment that does little to wow there seems very little reason to return, let alone support another restaurant import when places like Mint seem to be satisfying locals just fine.
RECOMMENDED: Paneer Tikka, Lamb Kheema Pav, Five Herb Noodles
AVOID: Green Chutney, Bombay Lamb Masala, Pav Bhaj
TIP: Having not been to any of the Vegas Indian buffets but noting their prices to range $12-$20 depending on date and time it seems worth noting that the total bill was $42 per person after tax and a modest tip, not exactly a deal considering the quality of the food or the ingredients contained.
WHAT THE STARS MEAN: 5 World Class, 4 Excellent, 3 Good, 2 Fair, 1 Poor
http://www.utlasvegas.com/
