From August 2004 “Best of Falls Church”
Haandi, moderate. Among the Indian restaurants of Falls Church, Haandi stands out. It combines a pleasant atmosphere with a menu and preparation that can appeal to Indians and Westerners alike. While it makes no claim for undiluted authenticity, it makes no compromises that would keep devotees of Indian food away.
The star at Haandi, as with many Indian restaurants, is the searing-hot tandoor, which produces everything from succulent lamb chops, kebobs, and the popular tandoori chicken to blistered flatbreads like naan and roti and stuffed breads like onion kulcha. Other winning dishes native to northern India are the biryanis–mounds of saffron rice, nuts, seasonings, and chunks of meat–and wok-cooked mixtures of meat, tomatoes, and onions. Indian curries range from the comparatively mild rogan josh to the much spicier vindaloo. Good vegetarian choices are the silky spinach with house-made cheese, cauliflower with potatoes, and chickpeas with onion and spices. My favorite is aloo do paeezah, a mixture of sautéed potatoes, onions, tomatoes, and bell peppers.
