Spencer Williams, Contributor
Pushpa's Indian restaurant, located at the back of Northside Plaza in Liguanea, is truly a hole in the wall take-away with a few plastic tables and chairs for those who choose to eat there. While it's not exactly the most enticing decor to dine in, the flavourful and filling food is worth every cent spent.
True, it's no Jewel of India but one should not compare the two. There is a time and a place for each, and when you are looking for somewhere to quickly grab a dal soup, a curry lamb roti wrap or a chicken vindaloo lunch box, Pushpa's is the spot.
Watch out, the soup is very hot and spicy, but ever so comforting. Why is it that warm broths and bisques can do this? Perhaps it reminds us of our own mother's Saturday soups. Anyhow, if you are looking for a lighter meal, then this is the option to go for.
Superior taste
The chef will put any variation of his meat and vegetable dishes inside a roti wrap for you, but do ask for a dal puri roti skin rather than a plain one. The texture and the taste are far superior, an it's not something they'll admit to providing, they do! And if you are quite good at cooking curry yourself but have no clue when it comes to rotis, just order a dozen or two and take them home for your own dinner party.
They are easily reheated in the microwave. Carefully wrap three to six of them in a cloth towel, place in the microwave and heat for about five minutes. If you don't have one, wrap the rotis in the same way in foil and reheat in a warm oven (250F) for 15-20 minutes.
The lunch boxes are a bargain. There's a choice of eight chicken, nine vegetarian, four mutton, three shrimp and three fish plates, all of which come with basmati rice, a roti skin and a good helping of dal. For those of you who are not sure what the latter is, it's a thick sauce made with yellow split peas and lots of delicious Indian spices.
Fancy having a buffet of Indian food at home for a lot of people but don't want to prepare a thing yourself? Why not order from Pushpa's extensive menu? They offer appetisers, North Indian and clay pot dishes, meats (no pork of course), seafood, rice and breads, sweets and an array of Chinese food (to compete with the fellow shops in the plaza, I guess)! The prices are incredibly reasonable and the servings are generous. I have no doubt that you'll have enough leftovers to take to work the next day!
Subtle flavours
If you think you can get the same thing from a local Jamaican restaurant then guess again. Indian curries are so different. You can taste the subtle flavours of cumin, coriander, ginger, fenugreek, cardamom, fennel and so much more, without the overpowering bitterness of turmeric which can hide all the other spices if added with a heavy hand. We could learn a thing or two from the Indians. Jamaicans use the exact same curry powder for goat, chicken, lobster and shrimp. Hardly value for money when it comes to variety, unlike Pushpa's!
Pushpa's Indian Restaurant, 1 Northside Plaza, Old Hope Road, Liguanea, Kingston, Jamaica.
Telephone: 876-977-5454, 876-977-5858
Opening Hours: Monday-Saturday: 11:00 a.m.-9:00 p.m., Sunday: 11.30 a.m.-8:00 p.m.
Lunch Box meals are take-out only Monday-Saturday: 12:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m.Look to spend $200 on soup, $200-$300 on a roti wrap, $300-$450 on a lunch box, $300-$1,300 on larger individual dishes, $500 for a dozen roti skins.