WILLIAMSTOWN

"If you build it, they will come" referred to a baseball field in the movie "Field of Dreams."

I, however, am talking about an excellent new Indian restaurant that was this year's Christmas present to Williamstown, Spice Root.

Inauguration was Dec. 9 and with little fanfare, this new, popular eatery is successfully up and running -- so much so, that at 8:30 on a weekend evening, you might still have to wait for a table.

Opening in the dead of winter is always risky, but the owners, the Chola Restaurant Group, wanted to have some time to work out the kinks before the onslaught of tourists this summer.

There are not too many kinks, except for a needed storm door to prevent this harsh winter's cold winds from cooling the hot food every time a diner enters or leaves.

Spice Root has broken the mold for typical Indian restaurants in a few ways. Decor? No deep velvet, carpeted walls or faux tapestries with entertaining, bejeweled Indian dancers as the motif. No sculpted brass plaques on the wall either and -- thank heavens -- those unappealing small diner-like metal serving dishes have been replaced by attractive pottery with multicolored concentric circles.

The decor is modern and

Advertisement
sparsely decorated with a sprinkling of Indian beaded wall hangings lit with iridescent M&M colored lighting. The painted concrete floor was recently covered with a red carpet, which was one of the kinks that the owners have addressed.

Spice Root's unique copper menu weighs at least two pounds, which means that I don't think we'll be seeing many menu changes in either the basic selections or the reasonable prices.

If you do have to wait to be seated, there is a welcoming windowed alcove facing Spring Street with plush pastel cushions to make your pre-dinner people-watching as pleasant as possible.

Let me also recommend, for a pre-dinner snack, the licorice laced fennel seeds that replace the traditional dinner mints at the entrance.

First, I'd like to clear up some misconceptions: All Indian food is not spicy hot. It is as varied as every other nation's cuisine. India, is, after all, the seventh largest country in the world. Spicy (if that means flavorful) yes; hot, no.

Curry, according to Madhur Jaffrey, one of the foremost Indian culinary writers, is a degrading term, when used synonymously to mean all Indian food. (There is a Tamil word, kari, which means "sauce," that might be one of the origins of the word curry.)

And lastly, though there is a curry plant, it is not used to make curry powder. Curry powder is a blend of several spices, of which cumin, coriander, fenugreek, red peppers and turmeric are the most common.

You do not really need to know any of this to enjoy a meal at Spice Root. The waiters do a good job of explaining whatever you don't understand.

Papadan, a baked paper-thin wafer combining air and lentils and two selections of chutney -- one, a sharp tangy mint and yogurt accompaniment and the other a slightly sweet onion relish -- have replaced the traditional bread basket.

You'd have to vanquish numerous leaves of Papadan before you are too full to eat your meal, as often happens at continental restaurants to the undisciplined carbo addict.

Breads are sold separately and are considered a side dish. The fried Poori that resembles a blow fish is probably the most popular. Spice Root's version is not greasy and quite good. Nan, my personal choice, is leavened white flour tandoori bread that does well by itself or, most likely, will be used to sop up the flavorful aforementioned "curry" sauces.

An Indian meal begins with the aroma of freshly ground spices that you smell the minute you walk through the door. This is the true, first appetizer.

The "Ragada patty," offered as a "starter," though poorly and unappealingly named, is one of two of the best items on the menu.

It is not a patty but rather a plate of potato wannabe patties, layered with chick peas, onions and crunchies in a yogurt and tamarind sauce. Perhaps, Ragada Mash would be a better moniker -- a complex blend of flavors melding sweet and tangy.

Masala Dosai, a paper thin crepe stuffed with mildly spiced potatoes and peas was the other table favorite "starter."

Samosas, India's version of the potato knish, were not so successful. Though fried in canola oil rather than the oft used saturated ghee, it is still doughy and dense.

A cup of Mulligatawny soup is always a good choice. This exotically named broth is made with orange lentils, potatoes, apples, and a dozen or so spices. Its flavor belies its name, which means "pepper water."

For entrees, we, a rowdy group of six, had several Masalas and they were all quite different. The Shrimp Masala was roasted in the tandoor oven and wrapped in a mild tomato and cream sauce, rendering it slightly sweet.

On the other hand, a boneless Chicken Tikka Masala, marinated in yogurt, ginger and white pepper with a dash of saffron, had a tangy taste.

The same rich creamy sauce gave the Lamb Masala a sweet, bold pungent tang.

Most desserts are an acquired taste, other than the kheer, which is the most popular, being the closest to an American equivalent -- rice pudding.

Rasmalai grows on you and comes in second in popularity. The soft and juicy milk dump-lings soaked in cardamom, pistachio and a rose flavored milky sauce is unusual but excellent and worth trying.

A visitor to Manhattan once asked Madhur Jaffrey (whose cook books I highly recommend) if she knew of a restaurant where he could get some good Indian food. Her apologetic answer was, "I am afraid there is no place in New York or anywhere in Amer ica where top-quality Indian food can be found -- except, of course, in private Indian homes."

Not exactly music to the ears for an Indian restaurateur, but I think that most of us who have dined at Spice Root, would politely disagree.


Restaurant Review

Spice Root, 23 Spring St., Williamstown, 01267 Tel. 413-458-5200; Fax, 413-458-5204

Style: Modern Indian

Dress: Casual

Prices: Starters, breads, soups, sides: $1.50 - $8; entrees & specialities: $8 - $18; desserts: $4.25 - $4.50

Smoking: No smoking

Hours: Lunch -- noon - 3 p.m.; Dinner -- 5 - 10 p.m. daily

Credit Cards: All major.

Reservations: Recommended Handicapped accessible

Special: Cooking classes coming this spring( call for schedule), luncheon buffet, take-out and catering.

Chola Times Newsletter available at door Web site: www.fineindiandining.com

Jan. 22, 2003