Curry power: Locals recommend their favorite Indian restaurants in Manatee County
Indian cuisine has given the world a lot to savor.
From complex dishes to laid back street foods, there is much to uncover in the recipes of the world’s seventh largest country.
Don’t go grabbing that curry powder just yet, though. You’d better see how it’s really done first.
To that end, we asked members of our Facebook group “Manatee Eats” where to find the best Indian food in Manatee County.
Here’s where they recommend:
Tandoor Fine Indian Cuisine
Since 2001, Tandoor Fine Indian Cuisine has been serving delicious, traditional Indian food in Manatee County.
Poonam Maini based the restaurant’s dishes on her family’s tried and true recipes.
Chef Swaran Singh came aboard in 2012 with a flair for northern Indian cuisine and casual curries.
Today, the restaurant’s menu is packed with mouthwatering options.
Try starters such as somosas, a pyramid-shaped pastry stuffed with vegetables or meat; choose one of six freshly baked bread servings such as naan, garlic naan or poori, a puffed and fried bread; or pick from diverse spreads of curry, biryani (a mixed rice dish) tandoori (yogurt-marinated roasted chicken) and vegetarian meals.
If you have no idea where to start, try a little bit of everything on the daily lunch buffet.
Tandoor is open daily for lunch (11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.) and dinner (5-9:30 p.m.).
Tandoor Fine Indian Cuisine is at 8453 Cooper Creek Blvd., Bradenton.
Info: tandoorsarasota.net.
Flavors of India
Flavors of India offers daily lunch buffets and sit-down dinners with spreads of great traditional Indian dishes, including plenty of vegan and vegetarian options.
Other options include chicken, lamb, goat and seafood specialties, plus rice dishes, fresh breads, soups and salads.
The restaurant is open until 10 p.m. nightly and offers online ordering and delivery within a three-mile radius; they also host grand dinner buffets on some holidays.
Flavors of India is at 6103 14th St. W., Bradenton.
Info: bradentonflavorsofindia.com.
Our ever-resourceful locals seemed a little stumped on this question, so we did some research to see what else is out there in the way of local Indian food.
Here are a few more restaurants serving traditional or modern Indian cuisine.
▪ The Island Spice, 3608 E. Bay Dr., Holmes Beach
▪ Mr. Bones BBQ, 3007 Gulf Dr., Holmes Beach
▪ Maharaja Indian Cuisine, 6290 N. Lockwood Ridge Rd., Sarasota