Rasoi

The Maasstraat Indian that refuses to tone anything down, with tandoor cooking far above neighbourhood pay grade.

The Rivierenbuurt has never been anyone's idea of a restaurant district, which suits Rasoi fine. The owners opened on the quiet end of Maasstraat in late 2021 with chefs drilled in high-end Indian kitchens and a firm refusal to sand things down for Dutch palates; Parool's review headline noted exactly that. So the kadai chicken actually bites back, the dal makhni has been on the stove as long as it should, and the tandoor section reads like the point of the visit rather than the warm-up. Copper serving bowls, a dark handsome room and cocktails garnished with dried citrus make it feel dressier than the street outside. Mains sit in the low twenties, the breads are taken seriously, and the mushroom galouti kebab converts anyone still suspicious of vegetables. The neighbourhood treats it as its house Indian, and as house Indians go this one is embarrassingly good.

Build the meal from the tandoor section plus dal makhni and roomali roti; rice is the least interesting thing here. Thursday to Sunday they open at noon, and lunch is the quiet way in.

Photo: Rasoi