I grew up in India with Malayali neighbors and lots of South Indian friends, so I am somewhat of a hard-to-please purist when it comes to authentic South Indian food. However, I was pleasantly surprised at the Ghee Roast dosa at Kumar’s Houston last night. I think it is one of the best dosas that I have had in H-town.
Food
The server informed us that all the items are zabihah halal.
Ghee Roast Dosa – This was definitely the star of the show for me. Perfectly crispy dosa cone with homestyle, subtly spiced masala on the side and a variety of chutneys and sambar.
Chole Bhatura – The huge bhatura was perfectly puffed up . The chole were perfectly spicy and tangy. Even though Chole Bhature is considered to be a North Indian dish, I find it to be a welcome addition to most South Indian menus.
Chicken Biryani – I ordered this was for my daughters who are hardcore carnivores and not very adventurous when it comes to desi food. This was supposed to be one of their milder biryanis but unfortunately it was too spicy for them. We were not expecting it to be the same as Pakistani or Mughlai/North Indian biryani but still felt that a particular component of garam masala (couldn’t figure out which one as I just had a couple of bites) was overpowering the entire flavor profile.
Naatu Koli Varuval – This stir fried chicken dish had a good balance of powdered spices, curry leaves and dried red chillies.
Mutton Kolambu – We found this mutton curry to be average in taste but liked the super flaky South Indian parottas (similar to lachcha parathas or Malaysian roti canai) that came with it.
Mint and Lime Cooler – Kumar’s offers a variety of freshly squeezed drinks. We chose the Mint and Lime Cooler . It was a bit too ‘minty’ for our taste and also felt overpriced for the serving size.
Service
Service was great. Our server was very courteous and knowledgeable about all the dishes. We inquired about some ingredients as my daughter has food allergies and he immediately addressed our concerns.
Ambiance
There was ample seating and the place was neat and tidy.
Price
The place is a bit more expensive as compared to similar places but I believe the variety that they offer makes up for it.
Overall Experience
Overall, I think just the dosa is enough reason for me to come back, if not anything else. I would like to try their other vegetarian dishes too.
Kumar’s Houston
Address: 8383 Westheimer Rd Suite 168, Houston, TX 77063
Hours:
| Monday | 11:30AM–10PM |
| Tuesday | Closed |
| Wednesday | 11:30AM–10PM |
| Thursday | 11:30AM–10PM |
| Friday | 11:30AM–10PM |
| Saturday | 11:30AM–10PM |
| Sunday | 11:30AM–10PM |
Phone: (832) 767-5223
Have you tried Kumar’s Houston? What are your favorite menu items there ?
