Desi Chef — Restaurant in Somerville

We've gotten takeout from Desi Chef a few times and are absolutely amazed at the flavors and spice levels. We ordered online and the food was always ready when promised, within a minute or two. The pakura batter is a bit thicker than we are used to, but not in a bad way, it has a warm feeling that feels like a hug. The Tikka masala is absolutely on par and just spicy enough to get the average white guy a little sniffly. While the store itself might be a little simple from the outside, everything inside is what counts. The warm hug of amazing cuisine and the endless supply of Indian groceries and spices make an great addition to the variety of cultures Somerville's food scene offers. Please try this place if you like Indian cuisine. Please try this place if you like food. You won't be disappointed. It's a place that definitely belongs on a Food network or...

This is one of the worst Indian stores anyone can find in U.S. I'm not sure where to begin with. Even if you ignore the fact that its a small shop, what's shocking is the way the shop owner cares about customers or bothers about keeping the shelves clean. There were no price tags on many of the items and I had to ask the shop owner for each of them interrupting her never ending phone conversation. The shelves and refrigerators are so unclean that you can LITERALLY see flying and wormy insects in many areas, which is not surprising considering the bad odor that emanate from their kitchen in the back. Go to this shop only if you don't have any other option and try to only buy items that are dry and tightly and transparently packed. Trust me, there were insects inside...

Disclaimer: I'm some white guy.

Did takeout for lunch, chicken tikka masala and chicken korma, some samosas, garlic naan. The tikka masala had great flavor and the texture was fantastic. The korma had a very nice spice to it, and I remarked to my wife as we ate that I never can get chicken thighs right, and they certainly did here.

Not sure why this place gets some hate, but if you're some random white dude who really doesn't know much about Indian food, you'll like...