“Have you tried Indian hot?”
My server at Amma’s Indian Kitchen, a pleasant young woman named Unee, provided fair warning when I requested my order of chicken vindaloo with a spice level of “hot”.
“Are you sure?” Unee asked with genuine concern in her voice.
“I can take it,” I assured her, since my tolerance for heat has been shaped by a lifetime of eating blazing hot chicken wings and a variety of Ct hot sauce challenges.
“OK,” said Unee with a smile, noting my order and returning to the kitchen.
The dining room of Amma’s Indian Kitchen is relatively quiet on this overcast weeknight, but chef and co-owner Mani Kandan is still busy in the kitchen preparing a series of Door Dash orders. Apparently, word has gotten out about this restaurant, located at the end of the Kroger plaza at Sylvania and King Road.
The slogan for Amma’s Indian Kitchen is “tradition meets taste”, an appropriate description for the eatery’s culinary foundation, based in southern Indian cuisine. Chef Kandan’s family also owns Indian restaurants in Farmington Hills, Michigan and San Francisco. The family emigrated to the United States in 2007, bringing their traditional family recipes with them. Unee explains the culinary differences; northern Indian cuisine tends to be creamier and richer, while dishes from the southern part of the country tend to use more spices and with ingredients including rice and coconut.
The dining room of Amma’s is framed with large photos of exotic destinations in India with by traditional Indian music piped throughout the room, giving it a pleasant ambience.
Authentic southern Indian cuisine I started with an order of aloo samosa, a traditional Indian dumpling — a true classic. Served piping hot with two curry based dipping sauces, the samosas were crispy and flaky on the outside and filled with vegetables. It was a delightful beginning to the meal that set the tone for the main course, an order of chicken vindaloo, a traditional Indian dish featuring chunks of chicken and potato smothered in a rich red sauce.
Served with a side of rice, the chicken vindaloo is a perfect meal, offering a rich combination of spices that tantalize your taste buds. And as Unee warned, it was indeed hot and spicy–just the way I requested it. But, as is often the case with expertly crafted ethnic foods, the heat level doesn’t distract from the bold flavors of the dish. I stave off the sweat-inducing heat with a chickoo milkshake, a vanilla-like concoction that’s creamy and sweet without being overpowering.
Home cooked, like Amma makes The word ‘Amma’s’ translates to ‘mother’s,’ an appropriate name for an eatery that specializes in home cooked, comfort food that makes you feel great. For a unique to Toledo area dining experience, visit Amma’s and the tastes inspired by Southern India.
Amma’s Indian Kitchen
7629 W. Sylvania Ave., Sylvania
ammasindiankitchen.com
419-517-990
