Captain Curry restaurant fast Indian food with a sophisticated
twist – unique ingredients and rich seasoning. Chef Yonatan
Roshfeld from the Israeli Master Chef shows that Indian food can also be extraordinary
in his Tel Aviv based Captain Curry restaurants.
If you feel that Tel Aviv is a desert in terms of Indian restaurants you are probably right. In such a large city there are not many options to have good curry which is quite surprising considering that India is a very popular destination for Israeli backpackers of all ages.
Captain Curry is an upscale fast food restaurant. It might remind
you of London except that you won't be served by Indians. Captain curry is a
fast food chef restaurant of Chef Yonatan Roshfeld, one of the well known
Israeli chefs who studied in France and became famous for his excellent food
and is a judge in the local Master Chef program. He has another restaurant - a
chef restaurant Jonathan Food Club.
In Captain Curry, Roshfeld takes Indian food and upgrades it by
adding his interpretation. The food at Captain Curry is a sophisticated version
of Indian food with creative combinations and fresh unique ingredients such as Elephant
Ear Mushroom, whole Hibiscus flowers and dried spices such as dried lemon grass.
Called after the story about “Captain Curry”, Han Kapoor, the son of a spices
merchant who researched spices and became a well-known expert of Indian food.
When we got to Captain Curry on Dizengof 149 at mid-day we were
welcomed by a powerful yellow and colorful décor. We settled on one of the bar
stools looking around on the lively surroundings.
The menu here is small, but seems to include
everything from vegetables, fish, poultry, beef and seafood. Serving is fast in
biodegradable utensils. The food is well-seasoned although not too spicy (I am
rather sensitive). I heard that one of the heavier expenses of the restaurant
is on spices. The menu is organized by colors – green for vegetarian, blue for fish
and seafood, and red for beef and chicken. Children meals are available.
Starters
Quinoa Salad with Cabbage and Mango dressing
(vegan) – not an Indian plate but the Mango in the
dressing gives it an Indian twist. Expect the richness of tastes – with mint
and herbs. The salad is served in a small plastic bowl with a lid that makes it
easy to add the dressing and shake for perfect mixing of the salad and the
dressing.
Chicken Kofta – an extraordinary plate in the restaurant
because it is not served with the sauce on top of it. It is chicken cutlets
gently seasoned, coated and fried served over seasoned, slightly spicy, peanut
sauce. It was so yummy that it was gone almost in seconds! A Hibiscus flower
was served with the Kofta, it is edible, tasty and feels a bit like jelly
candies.
Holy Cauliflower – fried
cauliflower in spicy marinade. Tasty, but the spiciest plate in the menu – I
did not deal with it well…
Other starters in the menu (that we did not
try) are wings, pickles, and other salads.
Main Courses
All the main courses come in a bowl with rice,
sauce and extras, the ‘main course’ itself (the chicken/beef/fish/etc.) and on
top of it spicy red sauce and/or yoghurt. I tried many of them, they are all
tasty. What did we like best?
I especially liked the vegan dish Mushroom
Palak that contains Elephant Ear Mushroom that fits
well with the spinach. It is very mild and velvety. My partner liked the Panir
because of the texture of the cheese. I didn’t, I am not fond of cheese in
Indian spices…well, no accounting for taste…
We also loved the Soft Chicken Tandoori and the
Beef that were good, and the Sweet Potato Curry was nice. In the chicken course
I strongly felt the yoghurt but the beef was not spicy at all (if you like it
spicier – you’ll be glad to hear that it was served with a large chili pepper).
The Sweet Potato paled near the chicken and the beef but it is a really good
option for vegans!
I also had a Trout with tomatoes curry and
coconut. It is a beautiful dish, the Trout is served in an oval bowl, gently
rested on the curry. It was delicious.
The menu includes seafood plates that we did
not try.
Dessert and Drinks
You’ll find here soft drinks and beer, but it
is not interesting IMHO. Try the cold Chai that comes in two flavors, one cinnamon
and the other turmeric. You’ll love it or hate it but won’t stay indifferent –
try it and experience! The Mango Lassi was excellent with lemon grass crumbs –
I loved it!
The only dessert that is offered here is a
handmade Popsicle but there is nothing usual about it. The flavors are made especially for Captain
Curry: Lichee, Pistachio Malabi, Pineapple, Mango Lassi, Roasted Coconut, and
Chai Masala. We tried the Lichee and Pistachio Malabi, they are very unusual.
We had them on the way to the car and the combination of flavors makes it very
interesting in the mouth and did not leave us indifferent.
The prices at Captain Curry are a little higher
than fast food restaurants but are reasonable: salads 14 NIS, starters 32-34
NIS, Main courses 54-64 NIS, Popsicle 12 NIS. There are lunch offers.
The big fans of Indian food claim that Captain
Curry is not authentic Indian. They have a point that some of the dishes take
Indian food to the extreme and give it a twist, but the flavors are still
Indian and together with Chef Roshfeld’s touch I think that the restaurant
offers an experience within the Indian cuisine.
Don’t miss: Chicken Kofta
If you are looking for a good chef restaurant
for dinner and have more budget, try Chef Yonatan Roshfeld’s other restaurant –
Jonathan Food Club, you won’t be disappointed.
Information
Captain Curry, Dizengof 149 and Sarona, Tel
Aviv, not kosher
Disclosure: I was a guest of Captain Curry
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