In Irving, Adisil Aspires to Be the Indian Panda Express

Adisil, a fast-food chain based in North Carolina, has opened its first Texas location in Irving. The chain’s goal is to be the Indian version of Panda Express, and judging from a quick lunch visit, they have the “food” part down. The “fast” part is more of a work in progress.

Adisil’s menu offers a number of curries, from chicken tikka masala to lamb curry, as well as biryani and other rice- and noodle-based dishes. You can get a combo meal of curry, rice and naan if you’re especially hungry. Since the ownership is Tamil, vegetarian-friendly options abound, including dosas, gigantic tube-shaped crepes.

Most of the curries are kept warm right at the front counter, where the staff will pile food onto your plate, not unlike the setup at a Subway. But when we ordered chicken tikka masala with a side of naan bread, this triggered some sort of confusing alternative ordering process. “You have to order that at the cash register,” the server said, promptly ringing us up and promising, “I’ll bring your food out to you.” Twenty minutes later, no food had arrived. After a trip back to the counter, the staff assembled the meal in all of 30 seconds.

Why do you have to order some kinds of food at different places, especially if they are just as easy and simple to assemble as everything else, requiring only 30 seconds to make? Does Adisil even have a ticketing system?

Luckily, the food itself is pretty good. A bowl of satisfyingly spicy tikka masala featured tender, soft chicken chunks. Naan bread can be ordered with or without butter, depending on your New Year’s resolution, although some of the naan comes out crispy rather than puffy. Adisil is also rolling out a line of Indian smoothies to go with your meal.

For office workers in Las Colinas, Adisil offers a quick midday curry-and-rice fix. Try to stick to items that don't require a wait, but if you do have to wait for your order, the restaurant offers two amusing pastimes. One is trying to figure out how to pronounce “Adisil,” and the other is reading the paper insert on your food tray. You’ll learn things about Indian spices which you never knew before, and which we suspect no scientist has ever known before, either.

Adisil Indian Fast Food, 5910 N. MacArthur Blvd., No. 142, Irving, 214-579-9811