76 E. 33rd St.
Edmond, OK
(405) 359-7800
Hours: Open Daily
MSG: No
Smoking: No Smoking
Buffet: Lunch
Serves breakfast on Sat.
Channa Masala:
Baingan Bartha:
Pakora:
Naan:
Rice:
Chai:
even before the phone number was listed or it had a working web site. Perhaps the fact that this small
establishment relies on the food quality rather than allowing customers to gorge themselves on a buffet
sets it apart from other Indian restaurants, but I think it is also the variety of menu selections that makes
it popular. With combination plates, Tandoor dishes, Biriyani rice, meat and vegetable entrées, and
south Indian breakfasts, there is something for just about everyone. The food is not over the top on
the spice scale, in fact much of it is quite mild.
While I usually like to start my visits at Indian restaurants with a thali sampler plate, none is offered here. Instead, several combination platters are served, all but one containing meat dishes. The vegetable platter contains two vegetables served in sample sizes, along with white rice and naan. While everything was good on the platter, my hunger could not be alleviated without consuming large portions of the carbohydrate laden rice and bread that filled most of the plate. Althought the naan bread was fresh and flavorful, the white rice seemed to lack the herbs and spices normally associated with Indian cooking.
Channa Masala is normally one of my favorite dishes, and the one here was flavorful, although not as spicy as at other Indian restaurants.
Aloo Saag Wala, a potato dish with herbs and spices, was probably the best item I tried
at Namasté. While many restaurants make the mistake of serving undercooked or unflavorful
potatoes, the ones in this dish were just right, with the spices making it even better. The heat level
was about medium on the scale of Indian food, and this was the only dish I tried that approached what
I have found to be the typical Indian spice level.
Baingan Bartha is a dish that takes eggplant, one of my least favorite foods, and gives it not only a good flavor but a non-repulsive texture as well (not an easy feat when it comes to eggplant).
Pakora fritters made with spinach are served as appetizers with all meals, along with three sauces (tamarind, mint, and cilantro). Although the fritters were somewhat greasy, I really think this enhanced the meal quite a bit, with the sauces being far superior to the ones served in most restaurants.
The hot Chai was sweeter than any other version I had tried, and was not one of my favorite Indian teas.
Namasté is a small restaurant in one of Edmond's many strip shopping centers (and in fact is a few doors down from Dot Wo), but the lively décor and friendly staff make dining a pleasant experience and help ease the apprehension of those who may be unfamiliar with many of the Indian dishes. With a menu as extensive as the one at Namasté, the wait staff is undoubtedly well prepared to answer questions and help customers make the right choices.