The Bottom Line
If you love Indian food, a trip to Madras Woodlands should be on your "to do" list. The food is fresh and delicious and the setting is tranquil. You can ask for mild or heavily spiced food, and they'll honor your request. It's a paradise for vegetarians, but meat-eaters will definitely enjoy the exotic flavors here. If you or someone you know keeps kosher, this is the perfect place for a meal because the food here is certified kosher.
Pros
- Excellent Indian food
- Friendly service
- Good value for the price
- Vegetarian cuisine, but even meat-eaters will enjoy the food
- Kosher certified
Cons
- None
Description
- Madras Woodlands address: 1627 Hillside Avenue, New Hyde Park, NY
- Phone: (516) 326-8900
- Cuisine: East Indian, vegetarian and kosher
- Range of prices per dinner entree: $6.95-$7.95. Weekend lunch special available.
- Hours: Monday - Friday: noon - 3 p.m., 6 - 10 p.m, Saturday - Sunday: noon - 10 p.m. Closed Tuesdays.
- Madras Woodlands website
Guide Review - Madras Woodlands Restaurant Review
Madras Woodlands has a tranquil atmosphere, with a spacious area, marble floors, and paintings of Hindu gods and goddesses adorning the walls. We asked for a banquette, but when I sat down on the super-soft pillows, I almost sank below the table, so we asked for a regular table.
I recommend starting with a spicy mulligatawny soup or rasam -- a traditional Southern Indian lentil soup with herbs and spices. Appetizers include samosas --crisp turnovers filled with potatoes and green peas, bondas --potato and onion stuffed deep-fried dumplings, and many other tempting dishes.
My husband and I shared two entrees: the savory matar paneer, a blend of fresh, home-made cheese cubes and green peas simmered in a hearty curry sauce, and the delightful malai kofta, vegetables dumplings marinated in a lusciously spiced, creamy sauce. We ordered rice on the side and our waitress suggested the batura, a light and fluffy, fried bread. It was puffy up in the middle, steaming hot and had a hearty yet delicate flavor. The side order of raita --yogurt with slices of onions, cucumber and tomatoes -- cools down the palate as you're eating spicy foods. I've eaten in a number of Indian restaurants, and I thought this was one of the best raitas I've ever tasted because it was thick and filled with the sliced vegetables.
Leave room for dessert. There's the thick and luscious kulfi -- a home-made Indian ice cream flavored with saffron, pistachios and the heady scent of cardamom. I enjoyed the carrot halwa, a sweet and delicious carrot pudding with sliced almonds and raisins.
We also tried their excellent masala tea --tea boiled with milk and spices. It came in a slender cup inside a deep saucer. Our waitress explained that we should pour some of the piping hot tea into the saucer and drink from it. It was the perfect close to an amazing meal.
I recommend starting with a spicy mulligatawny soup or rasam -- a traditional Southern Indian lentil soup with herbs and spices. Appetizers include samosas --crisp turnovers filled with potatoes and green peas, bondas --potato and onion stuffed deep-fried dumplings, and many other tempting dishes.
My husband and I shared two entrees: the savory matar paneer, a blend of fresh, home-made cheese cubes and green peas simmered in a hearty curry sauce, and the delightful malai kofta, vegetables dumplings marinated in a lusciously spiced, creamy sauce. We ordered rice on the side and our waitress suggested the batura, a light and fluffy, fried bread. It was puffy up in the middle, steaming hot and had a hearty yet delicate flavor. The side order of raita --yogurt with slices of onions, cucumber and tomatoes -- cools down the palate as you're eating spicy foods. I've eaten in a number of Indian restaurants, and I thought this was one of the best raitas I've ever tasted because it was thick and filled with the sliced vegetables.
Leave room for dessert. There's the thick and luscious kulfi -- a home-made Indian ice cream flavored with saffron, pistachios and the heady scent of cardamom. I enjoyed the carrot halwa, a sweet and delicious carrot pudding with sliced almonds and raisins.
We also tried their excellent masala tea --tea boiled with milk and spices. It came in a slender cup inside a deep saucer. Our waitress explained that we should pour some of the piping hot tea into the saucer and drink from it. It was the perfect close to an amazing meal.
