Raj Darbar
WHAT: Raj Darbar (Indian Cuisine)
WHERE: 2660 N. Halsted St.
OUR RATING: Skip It!
(rajdarbar.com)
As connoisseurs of Indian cuisine (with backgrounds in both American and British Indian cookery), the Storefront City team was elated to find a subcontinent restaurant in the Lincoln Park neighborhood which we could enjoy. Boasting north Indian food based on Mughal recipes, we really did believe that this location would whisk us to the imperial royal court after which it was named. Unfortunately, the only thing royal about this place are the prices that crown your bill, while the food is unfulfilling and inauthentic and the service lackluster at best.
Adam: Due to my upbringing in England, I have extensive experience with British Indian cuisine and have been consuming these delicacies since childhood. My local Indian establishment was frequented by my family and I for many years, and I have enjoyed Indian food across the UK, from Edinburgh to London and even on the Dover coast. Nearly all of it was fabulously exotic and delivered to my palate a sensual experience.
(chicagodining.com)
Raj Darbar cannot even claim to be a decent Indian restaurant. I decided to try the chicken shahi korma, as I am partial to the dish, only to find that, according to this restaurant, said korma contained zero almonds (one of the very bases of the korma). Additionally, it seemed to me that a locally produced cheese had been added (extremely strange), along with cashews and raisins. I’m not particularly against the latter two items, but let’s get one thing clear: this is not the korma you are looking for! For a real (and cheaper) experience, try Devon Ave. or London.
Alicia: The menu at Raj Darbar is really exciting and different from most Indian menus in Chicago, and contains dishes you won’t find at the more well-known India House and India Garden, such as Baigan Piaz Masala (sauteed eggplant with ginger root) and Malai Kofta (minced vegetable balls in a cream sauce with cashews and raisins). To complement our meat dish of Chicken Korma I ordered the Vegetable Jalfreazi, an assortment of vegetables with tomatoes and onions in a curry sauce, which sounded pretty unique without being too heavy, as I knew the korma would be cream-based. Boy was it a disappointment – the vegetables were overcooked and the sauce both oily and gloopy.
(chicagodining.com)
But it wasn’t just the food I found disappointing (although our accompaniments of vegetable biryani and naan were equally underwhelming). The service was absolutely terrible and incredibly awkward. The waiter didn’t bother to refill our glasses even once, even though we were practically the only customers in the restaurant. And when he did serve us, such as taking our order, he seemed very twitchy, nervous and unfriendly. Not the best customer service.
(rajdarbar.com)
Final thoughts: It is perfectly apparent to us that Raj Darbar has duped the neighborhood into thinking that north Indian food should be served in this sub-standard, slapdash fashion. Try out Hema’s Kitchen for a better taste or even the Curry Hut in Highwood for fantastic Nepalese and north Indian food. Raj Darbar might name itself after the Royal Court, but it only deserves to be cross-examined in the Court of Reviews and found grossly, wantendly and plainly guilty of providing a criminally terrible experience.