Mohgul
Good Indian food is everywhere in Edison, but there are a handful of standouts that show up on most food writers' short lists, including Joseph Berger's. Among these is Mohgul on Oak Tree Road in the heart of Edison's Little India. Anyone unfamiliar with Indian cuisine might do well on a first visit by trying a selection of appetizers. Mohgul offers lots of these small plates with most priced under $5. Another good tasting option at $19 (as of 2009) is the Moghul Mix Grill--a combination of tandoori chicken, seekh kabab, fish and shrimp, grilled in a clay tandoor oven and served sizzling with spiced onions. The menu is extensive and is divided by categories including meat, fish, lamb, rice, vegetables, and desserts. Watch your food being prepared in the glass-enclosed tandoori kitchen.
Mohgul
1655-195 Oak Tree Rd.
Edison, NJ 08820
(732) 549-5050
moghul.com/edison/index.html
Moksha Restaurant
Satish Mehtani, the mastermind behind Mohgul, has expanded his empire to include seven fine restaurants. One is Moksha, also on Oak Tree Road. While Mohgul emphasizes tandoori and other foods of Northern India, Moksha concentrates on the south where food is not focused on tandoori but on curries and wok-style dishes. The atmosphere at Moksha is refined but relaxed. Bare wood tables complement hardwood floors and the view is panoramic. Try the thenga manga pattani sundal salad made with chickpeas and mango and the lobster curry. A lunch buffet is $12 during the week and $14 on weekends.
Moksha Restaurant
1655-200 Oak Tree Rd.
Edison, NJ 08820
(717) 947-3010
moksharestaurants.com
Deccani
It's difficult to say whether Deccani jumped on this country's relatively new small plate bandwagon or whether the culinary traditions of the city of Hyderabad, from which the food derives, was just a natural fit. In any case, this is a great opportunity to taste a lot of interesting food for not much money. Most dishes on the menu at Deccani are under $10 and those that aren't are not far afield. The owner, Ashok Kumar Harkara, who grew up in Hyderabad, the fifth largest city in India, graciously credits the tradition of "tiffin," or a light snack or repast, to the British who colonized India and influenced its culture.
Deccani
691 Route 1 South (at Wooding Ave.)
Edison, NJ 08817
(732) 819-0404
Article Written By Lois Lawrence
Lois Lawrence is an attorney and freelance writer living and working in Stonington, Conn. She has written on many subjects including travel, food, consumerism, relationships, insurance and law. Lawrence earned a Bachelor of Arts in economics from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst in 1976, and a Juris Doctor degree from Boston University School of Law in 1979.
