Flames Indian Cuisine
4 out of 5 stars
2601 S. MacDill Ave., Tampa. Appetizers: $5-$22; entrees: $12-$25; desserts: $5-$8; wines by the glass: $6.50-$10. 813-252-8069; flamestampa.com.
An email last August made me an offer I couldn’t refuse.
“I'd love for you to come taste our new cookie line.”
My culinary friend and caterer extraordinaire Kim Bailey (who fed most of the RNC in 2012 and thinks nothing of preparing food for thousands) was in need of a critical palate. Kim invites feedback because his primary goal is excellence. As we sit in his splendid new kitchen pondering tweaks to the five cookies before me, the topic turns to — what else? — new restaurants.
“Have you been to Flames?,” he asks, referring to the new place on South MacDill Avenue opposite Datz and Dough. His eyes light up, his face alive with excitement. “It’s worth a look.”
I decide that going to the South Tampa restaurant for lunch might be a good way to taste a variety of dishes, since luncheon buffets are a staple at most Indian joints. The plan is made and a regular taster and I show up prepared to attack. As we cross the threshold into Flames' interior, full of light from the ample glass that almost reaches the elegantly carved, ornate ceiling, there’s nary a chafing dish in sight.
Instead, there’s a great lunch combo that begins with a choice between a simple house salad of crisp lettuce, sliced tomato and cucumber, lightly dressed in a tangy vinaigrette, or mulligatawny soup. The soup dates to the days of English colonialism; the name comes from the Tamil words for “pepper-water.” It’s a wonderful bright-yellow concoction made from masoor dal (red lentils) in a chicken broth layered with fragrant curry spices — coriander, turmeric, cumin and cardamom — which, along with some coconut milk and a fresh green herb garnish, superbly perfume the bowl.
Then the restaurant presents an absolutely delicious and visually splendid platter with your choice of two appetizers and one entree from a list of five veggie and five meat selections. Platters also include the day’s special rice, bread and dessert.
The first pick is between the mixed veggie pakora, battered fritters of shredded garden-fresh vegetables that’re delightfully crisp and not a touch greasy, and an absolutely lip-smackingly good tandoori chicken leg. The spicy yogurt marinade has blackened in the 900-degree heat blasted in the tandoor oven to create a marvel. I’d be hard-pressed to choose, as both are marvelous.
On our visit, the tomato basmati rice dotted with bright green peas and cilantro (coriander) leaves is just scrumptious — and a great base for the creamy tomato-butter chicken and the lamb korma sauce of almond-coconut milk paste with coriander and cumin. In each case, the proteins feature generous chunks of juicy meat with sauces of depth. So often, at the lesser Indian restaurants I’ve visited, the sauce is pleasant, but simple. The meat is not always tender and moist. These, however, have a depth of flavor that give my BOTB favorite, Gateway to India, a run for the money.
Every plate even includes two wedges of warm butter naan, the addictive unleavened bread that bubbles and chars against the hot clay tandoori wall, serving as a comfort food perfect on its own or for mopping up any remnants of the complex, seductive sauces.
The silver cup of carrot halwa for dessert is a revelation. I always chalked up my indifferent response to other versions I’ve encountered to it being an acquired taste — that I didn’t yet appreciate fully. This recipe slowly combines very finely grated carrots with milk and sugar to the point of metamorphosis. Add some crunch from almonds and the sweet fruit of golden raisins and you’ve got a tasty finish that happily bridges the gap between east and west.
Flames’s dinner menu is a collection of dishes from multiple regions of India that’ve “been around for millennia.” The restaurant also, thank goodness, takes “pride in the pairing of wine with different levels of spicy and mild dishes.” Its wine list, while not extensive, demonstrates a knowledge of how wine enhances the food’s taste, and the team will happily find a glass that complements. There’s German riesling and Argentine torrontés, plus unoaked chardonnay and moscato from California. In addition, some food-friendly reds and a trio of Indian beers are offered.
There are a few waitstaff and consistency quibbles on social media, but my visit is excellent. The service is efficient and friendly, and the general ambience, with the wall lined with intricately carved frames and dancers in instantly recognizable attire from the subcontinent, delivers an authentic experience. We leave with our hunger satisfied and owner Subash Vajja’s promise of an “energetic and sophisticated atmosphere with a humble staff anxious to serve you” pleasantly fulfilled.
CL Food Critic Jon Palmer Claridge dines anonymously when reviewing. Check out the explanation of his rating system, or email him at food@creativeloafing.com.
