For those who crave the ultimate spice adventure, Bhanu’s Indian Cuisine and Grocery will surely light your tastebuds on fire.
The scents of exotic spices wafted towards me the moment I walked in. I could not contain my smile once I was shown to my table; the servers were open to conversation and explained the function of the “Periodic Table of Spices.”
Essentially, each spice is put in order by its Pepper Rank, spice symbol, name and scoville units (SHU), which is how strong it is after being diluted in water. For example, Sweet Bells are at the lowest level of heat at zero SHU while the Carolina Reapers, the hottest peppers in the world, are at 2.2 million SHU.
Once you areready to order, you may select from one of the basic levels of spiciness. These levels are numbered from one through ten, with ten being the spiciest and one being the most subdued of heat.
Up for a challenge, I went for the Curry Chicken Thali ($12) with Garlic Naan, Rice, Lentils and Yogurt set at heat level of ten. Although the waiters were apprehensive at first, since they wanted me to enjoy the meal than spend my time trying to wash it down, I was ready to take on the challenge. As for my more conservative family, they went for the Chicken Marsala ($12) with Rice and Garlic Naan, set at the mild level of four. Prices will vary depending on what sides you order or how much extra naan you request to have.
As we waited for our meals, I was intrigued by how much the establishment utilizes empty space by dividing the place into two; the left serves as an area to eat and the right is stocked with narrow aisles of imported Asian goods. The atmosphere is comfortable and the owners will occasionally come to chat with you as lovely Indian soap operas play in the background.
Once the waiters placed our food before us, I couldn’t help but take in the lovely aromatic scents that flowed off the adorable lunch tray. I immediately took a large bite of the chicken curry with rice and suddenly felt the strong tang of spice that began to slowly burn in my mouth. The flavors, although slightly masked by the heat, were superb and the serving was just enough for a single person. I could honestly thank this meal for clearing my sinuses and opening my eyes to the world of Indian cuisine. After washing down the initial burn in my mouth, I decided to try my family’s chicken marsala, which the owner recommended. The heat level, although subtle, balanced beautifully with the meal, which got very hands on thanks to the garlic naan.
Overall, the experience at Bhanu’s was as lovely as the workers. Despite their slightly over priced items, I would definitely return and try to eat the hottest spice possible