Ellie’s Indian Curry Corner — Restaurant in Toms River

Tucked into a quiet corner on the second floor of the Pho place is Ellie's Indian Curry Corner. I love Indian food, so I decided to stop in, riding the elevator up to the second floor which revealed a charming little space with booths, Indian music, and a very attentive staff.

I ordered samosas, vegetable biryani and roti. The samosas were light, flaky and filled with gently spiced potato and peas, and came with two sauces; a mint cilantro and a tamarind, both were excellent.

The vegetable biryani was extremely filling, served in a silver pot with well cooked and seasoned veggies hiding among the fragrant spiced rice. I was surprised to find the food was spicy enough to keep me engaged. The roti made the perfect pairing, scooping up basically anything that was left, and adding just a bit of savory flavoring with the brushed ghee.

I would highly recommend this place! It seemed, to me, to be a little Oasis from the hustle of the downtown area, and definitely a welcome addition to Toms River's...

So sorry I did not take photos. The restaurant is beautiful. You are greeted by Ellie herself! But, the real MVP is the restaurants food! Wow..we had the Samosa for our appetizers, honestly..best we ever had. I had the Goat Korma and my husband had the chicken korma..yummy!!..if I was home I would have licked the bowl clean..and of course, every time we go to an Indian restaurant we have to have Naan, which also did not disappoint. The waiter, who was the owner, suggested the Kesar Rasmalai Cake. Please, if you order anything, order this slice of heaven.. And if you're curious about the staff and service..super friendly, helpful and efficient. I cannot say one bad thing.. Help welcome this incredible restaurant, when you do, tell them Cate and Andrè said hi! Thank you Ellie’s Indian Curry Corner!! We will be visiting again, and often. Welcome...

Do yourself a favor and treat yourself! We went last night on a seriously rainy Saturday; we took the elevator upstairs and experienced delicious Indian food in downtown Toms River, which is taking its revitalization seriously.

This place is a tucked away gem: we enjoyed the traditional Chicken Tikka Masala and a Goat and Rice dish as well as two appetizers---Samosa Chat and a vegetarian dish.

I would say that it is perfect for a quaint BYOB date night---small, upstairs, downtown Toms River, except for one critical component: the lighting. You feel as though you are in surgery---the table lights are blaringly bright.

If the lighting was soft and the music curated to offer a more authentic Indian experience, this little restaurant would be damn...