TCP: The Curry Project

Real Indian food comes from specialized Ancient cooking and we are very specialized on that. The secret of Raviz cuisine comes from the homemade spices which we differentiate from others. If you haven’t tried our product you are missing Real Indian Cuisine.

That afternoon I had snacked on a couple of  supermarket samosas at New World, an Australian and New Zealand supermarket chain, but my stomach longed for a more fulfilling end to the day. Fortunately Raviz Indian Cuisine was right around the corner.

One of the many Indian restaurants in New Zealand’s metropolitan Auckland, Raviz opened in 2000 and is situated across the street from the southern hemisphere’s highest building, the Sky Tower. At the time of this post, there are seven branches throughout New Zealand with plans for further expansion.

Inside I’m led to a table against the wall, and I immediately note how busy the restaurant is. Black-clad servers rushing dishes from the kitchen. Hot and sizzling meals. Friendly chatter. Drinks clinking and curry being consumed. It was a great atmosphere.

I open up the menu and am impressed with the array of dishes available, also amused with their witty explanations. For example, one section of the menu is devoted to “RAVIS SECRETS.” The Googley Korma–I still don’t know what googley means–is described as a “real delight for cricket lovers.” Other menu items of note include the squid pakoras, the Raviz Banquet for two and numerous vegetarian dishes from Calcutta, Hyderabad, Banaras and Goa. All over India! Not only can diners indulge in authentic Indian cuisine, but they can also choose amongst meals from Nepal, Pakistan and Bangladesh as well. Quite impressive, really.

The restaurant is set up in a spacious L-formation, angling to the right upon entry. Three dimensional art adorns the walls in a strange, texturally satisfying manner. The floor is hardwood, the table cloths simple and white.

I start with wine. Now, normally drinking wine with curry is nontraditional, but come on folks, I was in New Zealand! There were 25 wines on the menu–I went for the Stoneleigh Marlborough Pinot Noir at 7.50 NZD a glass. Here’s how it was advertised:

A soft and supple Pinot Noir with subtly integrated oak perfectly complementing the full flavors of ripe red berry fruit, enhanced by a hint of gaminess and fine velvety tannins.

Yea, what they said. Tasted, er, just like that.

Before I have time to decide what I’d like, a large glass bottle of water and chapati are brought to the table. I ask the waiter about a few different dishes, finally opting for the Chicken Murghalai (17.90 NZD). When prompted for the level of spiciness I’d like, I chose “Indian spicy” and wondered whether or not that was the right decision. Little did I know they’d take my request so seriously.

My food arrived (literally) four minutes later, piping hot, looking simply splendid. I ate about half of it before succumbing to the spiciness and asking for it to be wrapped up for breakfast the next morning. Yes, I like to eat Indian leftovers for breakfast.

If you find yourself in Auckland, craving good ‘ole fashioned Indian curry, you’ve got a ton of options. Do me a favor and drop by Raviz, you won’t regret it.

Restaurant Details:
Ravis Indian Cuisine
61A Hobson Street
Tel: 09-309 8800
http://www.raviz.co.nz