A life-sized pirate stands guard near the front door of this unassuming Indian spot in Dallas.
Anisha Holla
Shiva’s Bar & Grill is named after the Hindu god Shiva. The food here is rich in flavor, aroma and all else good. Wait times reach up to 20 to 30 minutes during peak hours. If the smells weren’t captivating enough for us to sit around and wait, the FOMO surely was.
Grab a seat at the bar while you wait. A neon-blue bar space is stocked with different rums, whiskeys and Indian liquors. Sip some Indian malt whiskey or mahua flower-scented liquor while you appreciate the imported furniture, wall pieces and Hindu goddess statues that are scattered around the dining space. Between the museum-like decor and the full bar service, the wait time scurries by.
The six-page menu here contains much more than what meets the nose. Starters like deep-fried onion ($8.80) and paneer pakoras ($13.20) are fried to an airy crunch. We began with the appetizers of simple potato-filled samosa pastries complemented by more modern renditions of Indian food, like naan strips with spicy hummus dip. Plates full of fried snacks, soups and dipping sauces add to the colorful spread. Trays of colorful dips let diners experiment with things like a sweet tamarind sauce alongside a green chili-cilantro chutney.
The menu is so large here that the sensible option may be to order a la carte to try a variety of things. But the more gratifying option is to splurge on the Royal Dinner. At $80, this dinner for two is a sampler of beautifully plated appetizers, curries, breads and desserts. We wanted to see if it lived up to its name.
Just as we were filling up on appetizers, a trolley of main courses halted us mid-bite. It took four or five servers to offload the Royal Dinner in all its glory onto the table. Bowls full of cream-infused curry are served first, alongside a basket of fresh, garlic-studded naan. There's also turmeric-tinted basmati rice and spiced Indian yogurt with various mix-ins.
A towering sampler platter is delivered to the table shortly thereafter, filled with compartments of different dips, breads and more curries. Rich scents of Indian spices emanate from the food as it cools.
A meal here is a tricky game of tabletop Tetris, with scant table room for much else besides your plate, silverware and the spread of royally plated dishes. Eat fast; before you know it, the dinner show culminates with a dessert plate of gulab jamun, a traditional saffron-scented fried doughnut lounging in a pool of sweet rice pudding.
Request a to-go box ahead of time so you won’t have to leave your favorite dish behind. It’s enough to feed two for at least the next day's meals But as long as you don't mind some leftovers in the fridge, we think it’s worth every royal whiff.
Shivas Bar & Grill, 1001 Ross Ave. (Downtown) Monday – Sunday, 11 a.m. – 10 p.m.
