No, that's not a homonym faux-pa in the title; we meant it. We need some variety in Miami because face it; seldom will you ever hear the words "vegetarian" and "frugal" in the same sentence. When you're on the cheap and on the go, finding a compromise between the two will usually result in crafting meals from a Taco Bell menu or strolling the frozen foods aisle at the nearest grocer. But seemingly every time you have a few extra dollars in your billfold, the figurative floodgates of vegan and vegetarian options fly wide open and you go from limited to limitless.
So it's always comforting and a little special when restaurants open up that aren't part of a franchise, or the product of an over-familiar mold. And the taste is that much sweeter when it serves a cuisine that's menu has a tradition of blending animal-friendly elements--In this case we're speaking of Indian food.
Samosas, naans, paneers, and much more have been the staple of many vegetarian diets; increasingly those who associate themselves in a DIY (do-it-yourself) subculture where the ingredients to realize these concoctions can all be pinpointed to a lowly grocery aisle labeled "Ethnic," or some other absurd catergory.
But getting back to the original course of topic; finding that cohesion of affordability and vegetarianism is often an insufferable pain. However, if you live in Miami, the burden just became a little more bearable.
ISHQ contemporary Indian restaurant is housed in the Art Deco district of South Beach Miami. The location, the slick interior décor, the food presentation--all overshoot the price you'll find printed on your check at the end of the night. As a result, you're left with a new favorite go-to restaurant to add to your meager collection.
Dotting along the stretch of low and medium priced, the dishes at ISHQ assume every color of the rainbow and emit gorgeous tones of zest, sweetness, and tang--all the elements of this notoriously eclectic middle-eastern cuisine.
The vegetarian will particularly need to plunge his or her fangs into one or more of the following :
a Onion Bhajias - onion fritters seasoned with pomegranate seeds. $6.95
b Chili Paneer - Indian cheese, spiced with cumin and kashmiri peppers. $7.95
c Aloo Chaat - potato, mung, and cucumber tossed with yogurt and tamarind dressing. $6.95
d Naryal Sabzi - seasoned vegetable coconut curry, with Basmati rice and Papadam. $19.95
e Baingan Bharta - grilled eggplant with a blend of spices. $9.95
f Gobi Mirch - roasted cauliflower and red peppers. $ 9.95
by John Brown
