I must have looked at this restaurant online a gabillion times. I mean, the name Curry & Pie kinda’ speaks to you, if you are a curry lover, and if you are a pizza fan, there’s a spark of interest too. So, okay…Curry & Pie, you have my attention.
Almost everything I thought I knew about this restaurant was wrong, I looked at the grand-ish entrance and thought it was dine-in, but it’s mostly takeout/delivery. Also, it’s not just specialty pizza with Indian spices, but if you are feeling for a regular cheese, it’s there.
The Elkridge, Maryland restaurant also offers actual Indian cuisine. So, yes you can get your Butter Chicken and your Chicken Tikka Masala. It’s there, so do your thing!
On my visit, I decided to go with a pizza. I guess I am a traditionalist because I go with what the given establishment is known for. If you tout seafood, I want the seafood.
Curry & Pie claims a dual affinity, so I indulged them both with an order from their specialty pizza menu. It boasts pizza topped with classics like Paneer Tikka Masala, Lamb Vindaloo, or my choice—Chicken Makhni.
I ordered the Chicken Makhni pizza mainly because I’d never had Makhni before, so I had no overarching expectations. When I picked up my order, I was excited. The emanating aroma was so fragrant; however, when I looked in the box, I was a little indignant. It looked like any other pizza with chicken on it.
For the record…I was wrong.
I ate this 10-inch pizza in two varying states of savoring…with my eyes closed or rolling my eyes to the back of my eyelids appreciating each bite.
I’m very serious. My Chicken Makhni was AWESOME!
Makhni is a Pakistani word for buttery, but I know what you are thinking. Don’t go to that conclusion. It’s tempting, but it’s really not what you think it is.
What do I think you think?
It’s a natural conclusion, but Makhni is not the same. The Indian version is called Makhani and that version would be likened to butter chicken because of its sweetness.
I detected a little sweetness in my pizza. I wasn’t mad at it either, but for clarity the Makhni doesn’t traditionally use sugar. I noticed in one recipe, there was fenugreek, which would explain a lot concerning the sweet aroma. Oh, and, of course, curry and coriander were in the mix as well.
All that aside it was just amazing. I highly recommend a trip if you are in the area.
Last thing! Curry & Pie offers Indian pizza, Indian traditional dishes and it also offers dessert. Since I was in an exploratory mood, I didn’t stop at the pizza. How often do I get to try an Indian dessert?
I’ll answer that…not often. So, I chose the gulab jamun.
Come again?
It is a dessert that’s popular in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh among other countries. The restaurant describes them as balls of joy.
We’ll go with that.
The appearance of these balls of joy is very similar to cake balls, or if you go to Dunkin’ Donuts, they might remind you of the Munchkins.
Don’t get your mouth set for either one of those options. They don’t taste like either. It reminds me of a thicker consistency pancake…just my opinion. The gulab jamun has a very rich essence, especially with flavors like cardamom infused in the balls drenched in sweet honey syrup.
I see another trip to Curry & Pie happening in the not-too-distant future. I’ve even crafted a to-do list. My next romp will be with the French Fries Chaat. The website description says the fries are spicy and topped with chutney, tart yogurt and crispy chickpeas.
I’m intrigued Curry & Pie. You have my attention.
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Multi Cultural Cooking Network 