Vegetarian Experiences in Paris

I’ve been on a search for a really good Indian restaurant in Paris. I’m hoping to find something that is affordable, properly spicy, unique flavors, and great renditions of the standard Indian meals. I’m comparing these restaurants to my experiences in India, London, San Francisco, and San Diego. Each of these cities have restaurants that inspire the diner.

I’ve had a hard time finding this in Paris. I spoke to a former restaurant owner the other day. He said the Parisians, as a whole, do not appreciate spicy food and are not adventurous enough to try odd Indian combinations. This forces the Indian restaurant owner to mellow the palette and focus on food for the Parisian clientele. Unfortunately, this sacrifice also means the dishes are on the bland side and lack the pizazz you’d find in other cities.

Rani Mahal was listed in Happy Cow and features some nice reviews. I was looking forward to visiting this restaurant and headed out on a Sunday evening. I passed several interesting restaurants (Old Jawad) in the vicinity before finally coming to the exotic exterior of this restaurant. Red textured wood slats adorn the facade with trinket filled windows. Unfortunately, they were not open until 8 p.m., so I visited with some nearby friends to kill time.

We came back to the restaurant, anxious to try some new dishes. The place was fairly empty, giving the owner plenty of time to make sure we were comfortable and had the table of our choice.

The menu is pretty basic for Paris. You have a selection of entrees, dinners, and desserts. Probably 3/4 of the choices are lamb, chicken, or fish. The selections were also fairly standard and did not reflect a regional choice, that my inexpert eyes could tell.

For an entree, we split three choices. We ordered Samosas, fried onions, and a fried object that I believe was zucchini or potato. Sadly I couldn’t tell the difference. The samosa was good, I would recommend getting that and skipping the other choices.

Vegetarians will want to try their Vegetarian Thali. Thali’s feature a selection of small dishes. You can expect some Raita, lentils, curry, and rice. Thalis are typically a good value and give the restaurant the opportunity to try seasonal dishes.

Value, taste, and creativity

Rani Mahal is a higher priced, elegant restaurant. I’ve eaten at less expensive places and this raises my expectations. What should I expect from a fancy Indian restaurant in Paris? I would assume the chutneys are home made, the flavors are distinct, the presentation imaginative, and a feeling of satisfaction.

This is a samosa from one of my favorite Indian restaurants: Turmeric in Sunnyvale, California. The samosa is artful, tastes great, and makes an impression. This is what I’m longing for in Paris.

I don’t want to say Rani Majal was bad. Other than the disappointing appetizers, the food was good. It just wasn’t spectacular. It wasn’t better than restaurants that charge half the price. It is, however, in a posh neighborhood and it is understandable the value is not as good.

Rani Majal has two other Indian restaurants in the general vicinity. It may be worth trying out Old Jawad or Restaurant Indien Gandhi Opera

The Spicy Vegetarian Social Club are vegetarians in Paris that meet for spicy food. They had a meeting at Ganesha Restaurant near Gare du Nord last year. That may be my next trip.

Rani Mahal

9 Rue Saint-Augustin (2°)

01 42 97 53 24

Metro: Quatre Septembre, Opera, Pyramides

Indian Restaurant

• Overall: 4/5
• Location: 4/5
• Taste: 4/5
• Service: 4/5
• Value: 3/5
• Vegetarian Friendly: 4/5
• Vegan Friendly: 4/5
• M.E.F. Friendly: 4/5

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