First things first: Kohinoor served us the best Indian food we’ve ever eaten.We love Indian food, we have eaten plenty of it, and we have opinions. This meal did nothing to make us less opinionated.
We found the place through Laura DiMeo, the artist behind Perch Pottery in East Falmouth. We had reached out about visiting her studio, and she graciously welcomed our family for what became nearly two hours of conversation and a personal tour. Meeting an artist where she works is a pleasure in itself. Laura was also a delightful host.
When the conversation turned to our fondness for Indian cuisine, she recommended Kohinoor Indian Restaurant & Bar in nearby Mashpee. We took her advice.
Our order was entirely vegetarian: samosa chaat, aloo gobi, palak paneer, and garlic naan. We also happen to love heat. Serious heat. The kitchen had no difficulty accommodating us.
The food
The samosa chaat was an excellent introduction. Pieces of samosa mingled with chickpeas, onions, and tangy peppers; sweetness, bitterness, spice, and crunch kept turning up in different combinations. There was a lot going on, and every part of it seemed to belong there.
Next came the aloo gobi. We ordered the potatoes and cauliflower very spicy, and the kitchen took us seriously. Very seriously.
The impressive thing was how much flavor survived all that heat. Both vegetables were cooked perfectly and retained their individual textures. You could still taste the potatoes, the cauliflower, and the spices. The heat gave the whole thing considerable force without flattening everything beneath it.
Making food hot is one thing. Making it this good at that level of heat takes some care.
The palak paneer was equally convincing. Fresh-tasting spinach, soft paneer, and a rich, creamy sauce with enough heat to keep things interesting (yes, we ordered this one spicy, too). The creaminess and spice worked beautifully together. Nothing seemed to be compensating for anything else.
And the garlic naan: fragrant, flavorful, crisp in places and gently chewy in others. An excellent companion to the curries, though it hardly needed their help. Not a single dish disappointed us.
At the table with James
Our teenage son, James, has significant support needs. He also likes going out with his family. We like finding places where all three of us can enjoy a meal without spending much of it explaining ourselves.
My wife photographed the menu and used ChatGPT to make a choice board: eight options with pictures James could point to. He has his own opinions about dinner; the pictures give him another way to make them known.
Download James’s choice board (PNG)
An independent picture resource based on the menu during our visit. Check current choices with your server, and keep familiar ways to say no, ask for help, or choose something else available.
The staff were entirely comfortable with James. More than that, they seemed to get a kick out of him. Their warmth was easy and unforced, and they were attentive to the practical things.
They brought his drinks in plastic cups with lids, a small but thoughtful detail that made the meal easier. When we requested a plastic spoon, one appeared almost immediately.
None of this became an undertaking. The drinks arrived in cups that worked for him; we asked for a spoon and got one. That sort of straightforward attention goes a long way.
As James’s dad, I am fairly alert to the difference between a restaurant tolerating our presence and actually enjoying having us there. Kohinoor gave us every reason to believe it was the latter. James was another guest, with a family and an appetite. No awkwardness required.
The restaurant itself was immaculate: soft green walls, warm pendant lighting, floral accents, and comfortable booths. Even the small details—the patterned pots and white blooms—were worth a look. The service was impeccable throughout.
Worth the return trip
I could recommend Kohinoor on the aloo gobi alone. The palak paneer, samosa chaat, and garlic naan make that recommendation considerably easier. So does a staff who made having dinner with our son feel as ordinary and enjoyable as it ought to.
We went in hoping for a good Indian meal. We came out revising our list of favorites.
Thank you, Laura, for the recommendation. And thank you, Kohinoor, for looking after us so well.
We’ll be back.
Plan your visit
Kohinoor Indian Restaurant & Bar
681 Falmouth Road, Suite D12
Mashpee, Massachusetts 02649
(774) 470-8379
Restaurant website · Menu · Directions
Our vegetarian order:
- Samosa chaat
- Garlic naan
- Aloo gobi, very spicy
- Palak paneer, spicy
Source: https://anausomelife.com/kohinoor-indian-restaurant-mashpee.html
