Relish: Shiva is an exotic, easily accessible jewel

By Luis De Las Cuevas     9/28/11 7:00pm

Shiva Indian Restaurant is one of the true gems of the Rice Village. Some of our readers may remember our "Veg Out" review from Oct. 2010, but we at the Thresher decided to give the restaurant a second chance and found ourselves converted. It is seldom the case that we find restaurants that are clean, affordable, in close proximity to campus and absolutely delicious, all of which apply ?to Shiva.

Shiva is conveniently located right in the heart of Rice Village. Due to its position in one of the smaller streets between University and Rice Boulevards, parking may be hard to find, especially during peak dining hours. The storefront is clean and unassuming, with a black awning that clearly states the restaurant's name.

The menu consists of traditional North Indian fare along with their accurately self-styled imaginative dishes. There are no lack of staples here, from curries to tandoori meats; Shiva has everything you would expect from an Indian restaurant in the states. But do not be deceived: their menu extends quite beyond the basics and offers a real variety of meats and vegetables prepared in new and exciting ways. The large selection can actually be overwhelming. The price for entrees ranges from $9.95 for vegetarian dishes to $11.95 for lamb and seafood options.

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The restaurant's interior is very pleasant. It is a relatively large space, especially for a small business. It is not so large as to be uncomfortable; the floor is broken up with a nice mix of tables and booths along the wall. They have

 what seems to be a secondary room for overflow or private events. The booths are rather romantic and separated from each other by beaded curtains that afford privacy without being too kitschy. Be warned, however, that they do burn incense. If you're sensitive to what can easily be an overwhelming smell, just ask your host to sit you away from the front door, where they keep it.

One of the best things about any restaurant is when they make their own bread or chips while you wait for your food. Shiva certainly does not disappoint in this regard, either. Their naan is delicious and obviously freshly baked. It was steaming when it was brought to our table. It is so fresh and such an apparant source of pride for them that there is a window into the kitchen through which you can see the chefs toiling away for your culinary enjoyment.

My dinner companion ordered the Murgh Hariyali. It consists of chicken simmered in a creamy spinach sauce. The chicken breast was very juicy and not over-cooked, and the accompanying spinach provided a nice salty and slightly bitter balance to the meat. I ate the Gobi Alloo, a vegetarian dish comprised of cauliflower and potatoes in a thick and spicy sauce. The vegetables were wonderfully cooked.

The waiter really understood the needs of a hungry student, and was not shy about bringing us large amounts of basmati rice. They serve their water in little metallic cups that are really cool and add to the authentic feel of the place, but can be inconvenient if you, like me, drink a lot of water. Again, the staff was up to the challenge and my cup was never more than half empty.

In short, this is a wonderful establishment. The staff members are not obsequious and do their job without much fuss. They won't laugh if you mispronounce your dish's names, and will gladly answer questions. The prices may seem a little steep for the college crowd but, trust me, it is well worth it. Shiva also has a lunch buffet special, $10.95 for all you can eat, which is surprising given the quality of the food. This is a great place to splurge if you want to try authentic, exotic food.

Luis De Las Cuevas is a Wiess College junior. Relish is a column reviewing ethnic food in Houston.

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