Please allow me to play a little catch-up, so I can relate our massive pig-out session a few weeks ago at Plume Algiers. Right before we started seriously packing, we got the keys to our new digs and wanted to go check it out and do a few measurements to see where we’d put what in each room. We had no time to cook (not that I wanted to in the old place), so I made reservations for us to dine on the Westbank at a spot we already knew and loved.
I’ve often wondered, can one eat too much Indian food? Every time I’ve enjoyed Indian cuisine, I find it awfully difficult to stop, especially if there’s plenty of naan and/or rice to soak up all of those fabulous sauces and curries. Even after gorging myself, I am still disturbingly tempted to get just one more taste. Thank goodness it isn’t easily accessible, she says after moving a few blocks away.
Anyhow, I did it again and I made John take the wonderful, yet oh-so painful, stomach-stretching journey with me. It was the first time we got to sit down inside the tiny restaurant (who is unfortunately no longer offering dine-in), and it was a feast to remember. I’m pretty sure we ordered almost everything on the menu.
We shared everything from the Gulf Shrimp Kaathi Roll with lime pickles, cabbage and yogurt wrapped in paratha (ie. flatbread) and Keralan Fried Chicken with garlic and chili chutney, to a large bowl of stir-fried mushrooms with roti, goat cheese raita and tarragon. We also got lots of warm naan and appam (fermented coconut bread) which were liberally dipped into (my favorite) the Mangodi Sabzi — a heavenly bowl of yellow curry with “moong dal” fritters (made from yellow lentils) curds and sprouts.
What I love about Plume Algiers is that the food comes from all over India, not just one region, so you get a dizzying array of flavors and cooking styles from across the whole country, not to mention the chef’s own unique interpretation. Owners chef Tyler Stuart and Merritt Coscia deserve a huge round of applause, as well as a larger venue. If anything, a hearty belch and an affectionate belly rub after your meal (not to mention a hefty tip!) definitely wouldn’t go amiss.
