Crystal Spoons — Restaurant in Boston

Last night, my wife and I decided to try out a new restaurant in our area. We are very seldom surprised, but Crystal Spoons took us totally by surprise. We ordered the Aloo Papdichaat appetizer, the Murgh Tikka (chicken), and the Achari Baingan (eggplant). From the first bite of the appetizer, we knew that we were in for something special. To say that the food was good or even excellent would be to do it a disservice. It was, indeed, excellent, but just as importantly, it was distinctive. We’ve eaten at dozens of Indian restaurants over the years, many of them quite good, but we’d never had dishes exactly like this (I guess from the Bombay region). The flavors were complex, subtle, quietly intense, and—I’m not quite sure how to say this—multidimensional. We could taste the vibrancy of the freshly ground spices, both individually and in shifting combinations, as taste and fragrance created a kind of echo chamber effect. I had to keep pausing every couple of bites to say things like “Wow!,” “Amazing!” “Extraordinary!” We had a chance to talk with both our waiter and with the owner. Both were warm and gracious, and the owner took the time to fill us in on the history of the restaurant—there’s another one in Norwood—and on the philosophy behind the menu. Even before he filled us in, we couldn’t help but be aware of the intense thought and care that must have gone into every detail of planning and preparation. If my wife and I could award Michelin Stars, this restaurant...

We a wanted to try this place based on the high ratings. It’s a new business and we wanted to support. Upon arrival we couldn’t find the place as there was no sign upfront, maybe they are working on it?!

The ambience is cool and vibrant. Definitely something different than most of other restaurants in Boston.

It was a hot Sunday evening and we are not drinkers. We asked if they have non alcoholic drinks and they recommended mango mojito. It wasn’t bad but definitely will not order this again. Had no mint or mango flavor.

As for our meal, we ordered the vegetable samosa, chicken tandoori, and chicken tikka masala. It was delicious, crispy and flaky. Vegetables weren’t mushy like most places and had good flavors. Also the tamarind sauce and the mint chutney was very tasty. The tandoori was pretty good. It was cooked to perfection, good flavor and was juicy. Now for the chicken tikka masala it was $30 for a small plate and we had to pay extra $6 for side of rice as it doesn’t come with one. We were like ok it must be huge portion and the best chicken tikka masala ever. Let’s just say it was totally the opposite. It was small portion and definitely not the best chicken tikka masala ever, I had much better. It wasn’t bad but it wasn’t creamy enough for me.

In the end this place got potential if they lower their prices, work on the overall quality and put a sign so people know they exist. We will go back for the tandoori and the...

For dinner, a friend who lives nearby roped me into trying out Crystal Spoons. At 7 p.m. on a Tuesday, we arrived to a well-decorated space - plush booths, a crystal light fixture, and a shiny bar. This made it all the more jarring that my friend and I were the only patrons there (a few more trickled in during dinner).

Undeterred, we ordered the following to share: Vegetable samosa | $8 Chicken tikka masala (hey, not my idea) | $30 Hyderabadi murgh dum biryani | $28 2 garlic naans | $6 each Basmati rice | $6

The samosas (two large pieces) were filled with fluffy, spiced potatoes. The accompanying coleslaw was vibrantly tangy and delicious - albeit quite spicy.

The chicken tikka masala had a thicker, more viscous sauce compared to the standard local fare. The biryani (with chicken) was seasoned, but not memorably so.

This makes the price point hard to justify. A $30 CTM should be one of the best damned things I've ever eaten. The portion sizes were also quite "delicate." The biryani, in particular, felt more like a light lunch than a full entrée.

Service was pleasant and cordial (probably helped by the fact that we were the only customers initially). That alone, however, doesn't compel...