For most people, the word Milan is associated with Italy, so it would be easy to assume that Charlottesville's newest restaurant offers pasta and lasagna. In reality, Milan features Indian cuisine that is sure to open the eyes of novices and satisfy the desires of those familiar with Indian food.
Just past Barracks Shopping Center, Milan is located within minutes of Grounds. Its close proximity is only the first of its many positive attributes.
Milan, with a large "Now Open" sign hanging in the front, indeed is brand new, having opened just last Thursday. The interior is large and very spacious.
The Indian influence easily can be seen in the decor: Red curtains, traditional Indian art on the walls and a variety of sculptures. The subtle Indian music in the background also is a nice touch, creating a nice ambience without intruding upon the diner.
The service at Milan is certainly not sub-par, but needs a little work. While several servers were there to attend to such minute details as filling our glasses every few minutes, they seemed unsure of the overall proceedings of serving a customer.
For example, after the meal, we had to wait several minutes for our check when we clearly were ready to go. This sort of problem likely will work itself out with time as the restaurant and its employees gain more experience.
The menu is huge but clearly divided into several sections. Fairly detailed explanations of each dish are provided to help out those new to Indian cuisine.
In fact, on the back of the menu, there is even an overall introduction to Indian cuisine. Milan thus offers not only a comfortable dining experience but an educational one as well.
The appetizers, like the rest of the food, are reasonably priced, averaging around $5.00 apiece. We tried the Assorted Appetizers ($6.95), which included Chicken Tikka, Vegetable Samosa and Vegetable Pakora. The sweet accompanying sauce was extremely tasty.
A perfect choice for those who would like to get a general introduction to Indian cuisine, it gives a little taste of everything,
The Chicken Pakora ($4.25) is a great choice as well, especially for those who are slightly less adventurous. Without the sauce, it tastes like tender American chicken fingers with crispy and delightful breading. It is worthwhile to note that although some of the items were fried, they did not taste greasy in the least -- a definite plus.
Milan also offers a short menu of soups and salads for $2.25 or less. This menu includes traditional Indian soup made with delicately spiced lentils called Mulligatwany Soup ($2.25) as well as Kachumber ($2.25), a tomato, cucumber and onion salad with lemons and herbs.
Milan offers five large categories for entrees: Tandoori, Seafood, Chicken, Lamb and Beef, and Vegan and Vegetarian Specialties. Surely this wide variety is enough to meet any diner's preference, but just in case it isn't, Milan advertises that "If you have any special request, please ask! If we have the ingredients, we can prepare it for you!"
You also must indicate the degree of spice you'd like for your dish -- mild, medium, hot or Indian hot. The fact that Indian hot is italicized should not be construed as a challenge. It's a warning. Don't try it unless you have experience.
The menu explains that Tandoori is a "clay oven which is fired with natural wood and charcoal" in which all the selections under that heading are cooked. We went for the Tandoori Mixed Grill ($15.95) to get a good sampling of everything they offered, but there are certainly more economical choices such as the Tandoori Chicken ($9.95).
The Mixed Grill offered chicken, lamb, fish and shrimp, and was served with a large gravy dish of sauce. The sauce was truly what made the dish taste delicious, but the meat itself was cooked quite nicely. Though the lamb and chicken were a bit dry, they were still tasty and enjoyable.
We also tried the Chicken Vindaloo ($11.50), a South Indian favorite. The actual Vindaloo is deliciously cooked chicken and potatoes in a highly spiced sauce that traditionally is served hot. We decided to brave it and ordered it Indian hot, and we certainly got what we asked for. The Vindaloo is eaten with rice, which helps the diner to enjoy the flavor without crying his or her eyes out. Other Vindaloo choices include Lamb or Beef ($12.95) and Seafood ($13.95).
Deciding to round out our entrees with something involving less sauce, we chose the Lamb Biryani ($13.95) which also is offered with beef for the same price. This particular choice was explained as a classic Mogul dish in which pieces of curried lamb are cooked with rice and flavored with saffron and nuts.
Once again, we chose Indian hot. If we thought the Vindaloo had our tear ducts working, we had another thing coming. This dish was extreme, even for the biggest fan of spicy food. Like all the other dishes though, it was delicious and quite the eye-opening experience. It was worth the pain.
Although we didn't have nearly enough room in our stomachs for the vegetarian specialties, Milan offers economical choices -- all under $11.00 -- for the veggie lovers out there. Such dishes as Bhindi Masala ($10.50), fresh baby okra sautéed with onion, pepper, tomatoes and spices, and Kofta Lajwab ($10.95), mixed vegetables and paneer balls in a spicy tomato and cream sauce, all sounded fabulous.
We also highly recommend ordering a side of bread. They're all relatively inexpensive -- under $2.50 with the exception of the Bread Basket ($4.95) which offers an assortment of bread -- and a great way to counteract the intensity of the dishes. We tried the Garlic Naan ($2.50), which was absolutely mouth-watering.
Milan also offers a tempting dessert menu full of traditional Indian treats like Kulfi ($2.75), an Indian ice cream made with milk and nuts. To top it all off, they offer a lunch buffet and inexpensive lunch specials.
Milan is the perfect place to start for those who have never had Indian cuisine and the perfect place to visit for those who have. Close to grounds and relatively affordable, its wide variety of great food makes this new eatery a must-try.
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