Details

Spice Express Indian Bistro - Vermont Avenue

1025 Vermont Ave., NW
Washington, DC 20005

202-347-7700

Neighborhood: Downtown

Cuisines: Indian

Opening Hours:
Monday through Friday 11 to 3:30, closed Saturday and Sunday

Nearby Metro Stops: McPherson Square

Price Range: Inexpensive

Dress: Informal

Noise Level: Chatty

Reservations: Not Needed

Website: http://www.spiceexpressdc.com/

Best Dishes:
Chicken tikka masala; shrimp masala; eggplant stew; aloo gobhi; mango lassi.

Price Details:
Lunch special, Rice and Two Curries $6.99

Dirt Cheap Eats 2009: Spice Express Indian Bistro

At these Indian diners, lines extend out the doors during lunch for good reason: You can get two curries with basmati rice for $6.99, the curries are dependable (sometimes outstanding), and vegetarian options often outshine the proteins. Creamy chicken tikka masala is a customer favorite, more flavorful and comforting than the chicken curry. Two addictive stews—shrimp masala and an eggplant dish—are sometimes rotated into the mix.

Aloo gobhi, a less-than-fiery mixture of cauliflower and potatoes, is a pleaser, but saag paneer had neither the bright flavor of the spinach nor the silky texture of the cheese that makes the dish so appealing. To go with the curries there’s naan (plain $1.50, garlic $2.49), baked in the tandoor, and a refreshing, spice-soothing mango lassi ($2.99).

Open Monday through Friday for lunch and dinner.

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