Restaurant Review: Khana Peena!

After dinner at Khana Peena tonight, I have a very satisfied stomach.

Let's start with the lamb tikka masala, extremely tender and appropriately spiced. The bright orange sauce it came floating in was delicious, putting a spicy glaze over my tongue with hints of cream. The meat was lean and cut into bite-size pieces. In short, it was surprisingly delicious.

Next, the chicken tikka kabob. Oh, how tender this was. And sweet. And moist. Its fiery red hue had nothing to do with the overall spiciness of it all, just made it look amazing. Oh, and did I mention this came on an oval iron dish, sizzling and smoking. Yes, sizzling. This juicy chicken also sported a wonderful herbal undertone that, in my opinion, really made the dish. The onions that came with the chicken were soft and slightly browned, however, they weren't as flavorful as onions really should be.

Now for the naan and rice. The bread was truly heavenly. It came in a little basket, all warm and cozy. You could practically taste the tandoor, along with the sweet and light flavors typical of naan bread. The rice was particularly good as well; it wasn't flaky or dry, but moist instead. We ordered the basmati, which was long-grained and nicely accented the food.

Lastly: the service. Our waitress was very nice, positive, and always smiling. She made sure to let us know of the whereabouts of our order. A couple other waiters did come and make sure we were doing all right, and one offered to pull down the curtain if the sun was bothering us. Very courteous. The food did take a little longer than most restaurants do to arrive, but once it did, it definitely delivered. Also, I did order a lassi, but our waitress must've forgotten, because it never came and it wasn't on the bill. Oh, well, right? There's always another time, and, believe me, I'll be coming back!

I think Khana Peena earned a 4.5/5 stars! Super delicious food with great service and outdoor seating. (Don't be afraid to sit outside at night, because the heating systems are so great you'll probably forget you're outside at all!)