When craving an exotic dish, Imperial Kitchen in Plainfield is the place to go. Recently opened last August, this formal restaurant is known for a wide variety of meals that are commonly eaten throughout India.

The restaurant’s design aesthetic is imbued with Indian culture and atmosphere. On this visit, the staff was welcoming and provided knowledgeable and fast, attentive service. 

I kicked off my meal by ordering Samosa Sensation as an appetizer for $5. This is a timeless Indian snack with savory filling made of potatoes, onions and peas. These delicious starters piqued my interest in ordering more off the menu and seeing what else this place had to offer. 

Afterwards, I ordered paneer tikka for $14. Served sizzling hot, this hardened cottage cheese marinated overnight in Indian spice and grilled to perfection in an Indian clay oven arrived with mint and tandoori dipping sauce on the side. The tandoori sauce was the much tastier option. Though it was listed as an entree, it was really another appetizer based on the size of this dish. 

Tandoori chicken was the next dish ordered. This enjoyable $16 dish is marinated in yogurt and spices and roasted in tandoor. The chicken was especially tender.

Butter chicken also for $16 was the last entree sampled. Middle Eastern chicken dish infused in a yogurt marinade made with cream, fresh ginger, garlic, lemon juice and spices. The meat was a little dry, but the delicious sauce they provided alongside made up for the lack of taste. Rice would have been a nice addition to this dish, but we had to order it separately although they were kind enough to not even charge us for it. 

Imperial Kitchen provides savory options, but the portions are a bit small for the price. Overall, this is a strong addition to the current Plainfield restaurant options especially for anyone looking to expand their palate by trying something new.