| Chautara Restaurant 334 State St Madison WI 53703 (608) 251-3626 |
Stepping inside Chautara, you’re immediately faced with statuettes of elephant fertility gods and Buddhist figurines, while vibrant drumming music reels in the background. Tiny square tables leave you bumping chairs against those of your fellow diners, whose noisy chatter battle with the sizzles and clangings from the back kitchen.
That immediately sets the mood for this restaurant, which serves a tantalizing mix of Nepalese-Tibetan-Himalayan cuisine, with a couple of dashes of Indian dishes thrown in. Yes, when I say it’s a mix, it is indeed a mix. There is nothing ordinary about what Chautara serves up. Its food is divinely spiced, but not to the point that it overwhelms the subtleties of its gravies or sauces. Chautara doesn’t shy away from flavor or chokes it to death, but instead embraces it like a favorite friend.
There are both vegetarian and non-vegetarian selections on the menu, which in itself is a hit, as it means being able to bring both veggie and non-veggie friends here without worrying that either party will feel gypped on variety or quality.
But trust me, there’s no worrying about quality when it comes to Chautara’s dishes. Take its samosa, for instance. Filled with a hot, spicy blend of potatoes and peas, it is definitely a recommended appetizer. It also comes as an entree, though in terms of value, I’d suggest keeping it as an appetizer and sampling something else for your main meal. Entrees are preceeded with a choice of dal or salad. The dal, a pleasant yellow lentil soup, serves well to warm one up on cold days, though I must admit that I’ve long been used to thick, spicy versions since childhood, so anything else invariably seems weaker by comparison. That is just me, however; it is still a good start to a meal in any case. Its alternative, the salad, serves up the usual greens with slices of carrots and tomatoes, but the dressing is what makes the difference.
One should definitely ponder over the menu before coming to a decision. Yes, it’s tricky figuring out what you want to eat here, simply because you’re tempted to try at least three selections. I personally recommend any of its lamb dishes, as they render the meat remarkably tender and flavorful, while making sure it’s not overwhelming the way lamb can be if not cooked right. The lamb curry, served with a perfectly shaped mound of rice, is just the thing.
For a non-meat dish, the tofu secuwa may appeal to you. Tofu, green peppers, and onions are skewered and grilled, then accompanied by a side of spinach rice pilaf. There is also the matar paneer, which serves Indian soft cheese that doesn’t actually taste “cheesy.” It actually tastes a little like tofu, with the same kind of texture and firmness. Of course, if you’re a true stickler for authenticity, you might argue that the cheese should be softer to qualify as the real thing, but it’s a matter of personal preference.
As aforesaid, the downstairs portion of the restaurant is active with customer chatter and kitchen noises. Maybe a little too active, depending on your mealtime companions, so if you’re with anyone who is hard of hearing, or if you wish to have quiet, intimate conversation, you might want to opt for the restaurant’s upper level.
Yes, the food is deserving of the praise Chautara’s fans have heaped upon it. But what of the service? Well, that’s where it gets dicey. It’s really touch-and-go, depending on how busy the place happens to be. No worries, the servers are very friendly and will speedily seat you with a smile. But if you happen to be there on a weekend, you might find the whole dining experience taking more than its warranted share of time. During a Saturday lunch, our server neglected to refill our water until we finally had to ask near the end of the meal. Not to mention they forgot about our second samosa entirely. But during a weekday venture, everything was as efficient as clockwork that I was done before my lunch hour was even over.
For excellent food that’s not your average, ordinary cuisine, Chautara is definitely a good bet. Just try to work it in during a weekday if you can. Or, if you want to make it a weekend outing, go with good friends whom you can talk and laugh endlessly with. That will surely leave time flying in a good ol’ speedy fashion.
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