Armaan Indo-Pak Fusion

I was a little nervous as I pulled into the parking lot of Armaan because I thought I might be underdressed. I considered myself casual chic, but most of the people stepping out of their cars for the valet parking seemed to be dressed for a special occasion. It turns out that they were attending a party in the restaurant’s upstairs banquet room. I was relieved, but what’s great about this two-month-old Indo-Pak fusion restaurant is that the swell dresser and the casual dresser fit equally well in the restaurant’s elegant main dining room.

The signature dishes come from regions in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, and the atmosphere transports you to the culinary world of the Indo-Pak subcontinent without being too much for the senses. The décor, in reds, creams and deep browns, is very simple and chic without being fussy or overdone. There were many families, but it doesn’t feel like the typical family place. One could easily take a date and have a romantic evening due to several tables along the dimly lit perimeter of the dining room.

We started with a plate of vegetable fritters (luckhnow bhajia) – cauliflower and potatoes fried in a delicate, spicy batter seasoned to perfection – and Armaan’s Tandoori Mixed Grill, which provided an assortment of the house specialties.

The mixed grill is definitely a good idea to sample a full range of the cuisine. It includes classic meat, poultry and seafood preparations. Standouts include the Tandoori chicken, clove-smoked ground beef (seekh kabab), seasoned salmon in Ajwaini sauce and a lovely lamb chop marinated in nutmeg, cinnamon and Indian herbs that melts in your mouth. My favorite among these was the aatish jhingay, an extra-large prawn roasted after being marinated in yogurt and a ginger-based sauce.

There are plenty of spicy entrees available, but for the faint of palate (like me), the manager recommended a famous dish commonly referred to as “butter chicken” in a light tomato sauce reminiscent of vodka sauce in color and texture. Served with the wonderful basmati rice, this dish (lajawabi makhanwala murgh) was savory and satisfying. From the “Treasures of the Sea” section of the menu, I tried the konju pappas – shrimp cooked in a delicious spicy coconut milk sauce with curry leaves.

Vegetarians should feel very welcome with more than a dozen vegetable specialties available. I enjoyed a flavorfully blended eggplant and spinach dish called bengan batata nu saag, and a simple preparation of lentils flavored with onions, garlic and ginger known as daal tadka.

With plenty of flat bread to sop up the sauces and anything else on the table, by the end of this experience I barely had room for dessert. But I am nothing if not committed. The desserts on display in dessert case were too beautiful for anyone to believe they wouldn’t be delicious. I tried the very tasty gulab jamun, described on the menu as an exotic Indian sweet made from whole milk and fried golden brown. It’s not for the weight watchers, but it’s worth falling off the diet train.

You can enjoy an assortment of teas and other beverages, and there is an extensive wine and cocktail list.

On your next night out, let Armaan take you out of the ordinary with impeccable service and exotic food. 


3064 Old Norcross Rd., Suite 150
Duluth, GA 30096
888- 7ARMAAN or 678-886-4423
www.thearmaan.com