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| - Upon arriving at the Blue Taj, you are met with an ambiance that could be mistaken for a yuppie martini bar, with the fancy pastel lighting, weird fiberglass chairs and tables, etc. I usually steer clear of these types of places, feeling that they are trying to be too trendy and contemporary; This is where the management usually focuses their efforts on...form over substance, and the food is generally given a seat on the back-burner. And let's be honest, we are in Ballantyne, NC...not LA, NY, or Miami. However, we were here, and hungry, so I decided to put my misgivings aside and dive on in.
Turns out, my initial worries were quickly laid to rest. The food was amazing and authentic. The Tomato Coconut Bisque had the perfect blend of sweet, spicy, and salty...my three favorite culinary attributes. For the main course, my wife chose a safe bet...Chicken Tikka Masala, which she said was out of this world. Me, being a little more daring, went with the Lamb Vind Alho (sp?). The rich spice in this dish was amazing...but at the same time, not the most overpowering, burn the roof off your mouth, Vind Alho I've ever had, which was actually a pleasant surprise.
Service was great...run like a military operation, but with much more personality. Perfectly timed drink order, appetizer/entiree delivery, and check presentation. Our server took time with my wife (an Indian food first timer!) to explain certain dishes to her, even though he was clearly slammed on a busy Friday night.
Price is the only issue with this restaurant...it runs a little high for Indian food. If want to keep more of your hard earned greenbacks in your pocket, but want the same quality food, I suggest Cafe Nirvana, right down the street from Blue Taj...all the same great food, with half the pretense of a trendy hangout!
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