Chinnar Indian in Berwyn serves up tasty, hearty Northern Indian fare in a comfortable atmosphere. The menu offers a wide variety of choices: soups, tandoori grilled meats, chicken, lamb, seafood and vegetable curries, and rice-based biryanis. Just about everything is excellent, mainly fueled by a wonderful balance of assorted spices.

I’m a sucker for the decadent, curry-based dishes such as the zesty chicken tikka masala, the creamy chicken, lamb or vegetable (navratan) korma, or the classic chicken curry. The sauces are always spicy and delicious — so good, in fact, that my true moment of epiphany during each Chinnar meal is when the dregs of the creamy, pungent sauce can be swirled all together with some plain jasmine rice, and slurped up in all manner of messy glory!

Tandoori Chicken, the classic dish marinated in yogurt and spices then broiled in the tandoor to a golden red, is a mixed bag. The leg was wonderfully tender and succulently seasoned, but the breast meat — though also well seasoned — was dry. Once mixed with some extra curry sauce from another dish, however, it was quite reasonable. One of the few disappointing dishes we’ve tried is the seekh kabob (ground lamb seasoned with herbs and spices grilled on skewers), which was a bit rubbery and not really enough food for adequate sharing.

The meat dishes don’t typically have many vegetables with them, so we always try to order at least one veggie entree. The aforementioned navratan korma is a perfect balance of sweet, creamy and tender, but all that cream may cancel out the benefit of the vegetables. Along those same lines, lasooni gobhi is an appetizer of pan-fried cauliflower that is both crunchy and tangy, if a tad heavy. Chana masala, spiced chickpeas cooked with tomato, is an aromatic treat. One can only eat so many chickpeas, but we used the leftovers to create some Indian-spiced hummus the next day. (Fusion!)

A Chinnar meal isn’t complete without a few orders of their house-made breads. Whole-wheat roti is a favorite: oily and chewy yet pillowy soft, best dipped in one of those fragrant curry sauces.

We prefer Chinnar to go (hopefully remembering to print the website coupon), but the interior is clean and elegantly casual. For lunch, a buffet is available for $8.95.

Chinnar Indian Cuisine
416 West Swedesford Road
Berwyn, PA 19312-1164
(610) 251-2526
http://www.chinnarindian.com

Mom’s Bake at Home Pizza has been around for many years, but it wasn’t until recently that I was first persuaded to give it a try. Isn’t the point of getting pizza that you DON’T have to cook?

I was intrigued, however, when I heard that Mom’s offered whole wheat crusts – something one doesn’t exactly find at every corner ‘za joint. Looking into it further, I was amazed at the variety of dough options (oat bran! multi-grain! boardwalk-style ultra thin!) and toppings (artichoke hearts! eggplant! turkey pepperoni!). For those of us who love pizza, but don’t love the guilt that comes with eating and serving our loved ones the greasy, sodium-laden stuff that most pizza has become, Mom’s is a desperately welcome option for healthier indulgence.

Our go-to pie has become whole wheat with white sauce (oil, garlic and spices), grilled chicken and zucchini (pictured). Though it can dry out more quickly, the crust adds a rustic flavor that white flour simply cannot offer. Thinly-sliced zucchini is perhaps the perfect pizza topping – easy to layer, flavorful and healthy – but somehow it is a rarity on pie in the states. (We first fell in love with the idea in Rome, and include it in almost all of our homemade pies.)

Though we prefer to build our own combo out of the myriad of traditional and non-so-traditional toppings, Mom’s also offers all kinds of pre-built suggestions, such as “Positively Pesto” – Pesto Sauce, Grilled Chicken, Feta, Red Onions & Sundried Tomatoes, “Chicken Fajita” – Grilled Chicken, Red Onions, Green Peppers, Long Hot Peppers & Plum Tomatoes, and many other wild options. Stromboli, wings, pastas, salads and cookie dough are also available.

All in all, moms is a great option to have for pizza lovers looking for a fun, healthier option. Expect to pay a bit more for the high-quality, fresh ingredients (our pie is close to $19), but isn’t it worth it to avoid the guilt?

Mom’s Bake at Home Pizza
896 Lancaster Avenue, Devon PA
Next to BMW – Parking in Rear
(610) 254-0580
Hours: Sun-Thurs 3-8, Fri 12-9, Sat 2-8
http://momspizzadevon.com
(they have online ordering but it does not appear to be working)

Before:

After:

Staff was very helpful on a busy night, though we were just seated in the bar. Beer selection is just ok — could use a couple more specialty brews. Overall, worth a try and we’ll be back.

http://devonpaddock.com/

Rating: 2 silver spoons out of five

Overall: San Nicola serves traditional Italian food that is well-prepared but lacks creativity. It is absolutely a reasonable neighborhood restaurant for a weekday meal, or someplace to take a larger group where everyone will be satisfied. For a special night, however, the lack of ingenuity falls short, especially for the adventurous eater.

Food: Standard Italian fare, simple but well-executed. Start out with the Cheese & Pepper plate, served family style ($3 per person), to enjoy homemade sweet roasted red peppers and a variety of excellent Italian cheeses. The grilled red snapper fillet served with a white wine cream sauce, roasted peppers and toasted almonds ($17.50) was a nice dish, if a tad bland. We also tried the beef filet ($21.50), grilled a perfect medium rare and served with a red wine demiglace and garnished with whole roasted garlic and fresh rosemary. The Misto di Carne ($19) offers a nice variety of sauteed sausage, chicken breast and veal tenderloin topped with a cream sauce of peas and carrots, but again is a pretty boring dish. The best dish we’ve had is the grilled salmon filet ($18) served with salmoriglio sauce (olive oil, lemon and garlic) — the salmon was perfectly crispy on the outside and tender within, and the simple sauce brought out the fish’s flavor.

TSN recently started offering a side of vegetables instead of the longtime tradition of a pasta side, perhaps in part because of the suggestion on this very page.

Ambiance: Several small rooms, decorated Tuscan-style, with windows surrounding the entire building. Because the rooms are small, it can get very loud, which can either make it seem like a hot spot or cause a headache, depending on one’s mood. There is also a small, smoke-free bar area for a quick drink and meal. The Paoli location is nicer than the Berwyn location.

Service: Pleasant and competent. A few blemishes — had to wait for a table with a reservation on a weeknight, even though there were several open tables, and one request for a minor plate change (from the menu) was not handled correctly. A few years ago at the Berwyn location, we had to wait 45 minutes for a table with reservation.

Value: The prices seem a tad high for the quality of food, especially considering the fact that they sell alcohol. One nice feature is the BYO policy — although they do have a full bar, they allow BYOW for a $10 corkage fee. Granted, corkage fees are generally evil, but when faced with paying restaurant markup or bringing a nice bottle from home and dropping an additional few bucks for the privelage, this seems to create a good value proposition.

Details:
#of times we’ve eaten there: 3
Cards: Yes
Reservations: Yes (you still may wait at busy times)
Bar: Full, BYOW with $10 corkage
website: http://www.tsannicola.com

NOTE: The Paoli location has closed. There are several other Fellini Cafes in the area, though not all are the same ownership group.

Rating: 2 spoons out of 5

Overview: A micro-chain also located in Berwyn and Ardmore, Fellini is a wildly popular Italian BYOB. The buzz about Fellini in the general population is great, and the wait on a weekend night would seem to confirm this fact. Those who truly appreciate fine food, however, will quickly understand that Fellini’s success comes from offering a wide variety and huge portions (creating the semblance of value), not necessarily from putting excellent food on the table.

Food: The vast menu offers 119 different Italian dishes, 50 of which are pasta and 20 of which are pizza. Unfortunately, the best dishes on Fellini’s menu also tend to be the most unhealthy; cream sauces, cheese and butter abound. The portions are HUGE (almost every table takes home a doggy bag), meaning that not only is the food unhealthy, but most diners will eat far more than normal.

There are, of course, some lighter options, but from experience these are pretty uninteresting. At a recent visit, I tried the Penne dello Chef (Sausage, broccoli & sundried tomatoes in an olive oil garlic sauce… $11.95), but it was on of the blandest pasta dishes I’ve ever had (except for the sausage which was excellent). On the otherhand, the potato gnocchi in a creamy pesto sauce was absolutely delicious, but it left us with lead stomachs.

There are daily fish specials, a couple salmon dishes on the regular menu and plenty of salads, and while it would take years to try everything here, after one visit I feel confident saying that the fat-laden dishes are where the flavor is at, creating a difficult dilemma for any Fellini diner concerned with their health.

Ambiance: Over the top tuscan decor, but kitchy and casual.

Service: A lot of young kids serving tables here, but our waiter was well-trained and earnest, appropriate for this type of establishment.

Value: Many Americans equate value with the amount of food served — from this standpoint, Fellini is an astonishing value — two people can stuff themselves for less than $30. On the other hand, those of us who put more emphasis on the quality of food will find Fellini’s cost to be about appropriate for what it is — a cheap, casual meal.

Details:

#of times we’ve eaten there: 1
Reservations: Yes, although be prepared to wait
Bar: BYOB
Cards: Yes
Takeout: Yes
Site: http://fellini-cafe.com

Rating: 4 Silver Spoons out of 5

Overview: Big, bold, (think Philadelphia’s Steven Starr) Asian Fusion comes to the Main Line. Nectar, a large, stone, $5 million dollar palace, rises out of nowhere just after passing through Berwyn (traveling West) on Lancaster Ave. Chef Patrick Feury (who opened the spot with Michael Wei of Yang Ming and Scott Morrison of Basil/Tango) succeeds in providing a quality, city-style fine-dining experience to the area with creative, delicious cuisine.

Food: Although Nectar features a traditional sushi bar, the rest of the menu is far more creative. Lamb skewers sit atop a fried goat cheese salad, providing a nice contrast. Spring rolls come filled with duck and mushrooms with a sweet, flavorful sauce. While somewhat ordinary in style, the pork dumplings are top notch, crispy on the outside and succulent within.

Feury’s entrees take the cuisine to the next level. A venison tenderloin was expertly charred on the outside and a perfect medium rare within. The plate was completed with a variety of complimentary flavors — grilled winter vegetables, chestnut puree and a mustard and beet salad. Poached lobster and grilled scallops served together were delicate but tasty. The only slight of the evening was the arctic char — tea smoked before being grilled — which was a bit too smoky for my taste. However, the plate again dazzled, featuring a parsnip puree and a pinot noir sage sauce.

The stars of the dessert menu — warm mini donuts — make a trip to Nectar worthwhile all on their own. A dozen tiny, warm cinnamon-sugar coated beignets come with three stellar dipping sauces: chipolte-chocolate, espresso anglaise and apple cider caramel. (Chipolte-chocolate wins the prize, although it would be even better if served warm.)

Ambiance: Nectar features one of the more grandiose designs ever seen on the Main Line. It is amazingly large and stylish — a 200 seat room features huge ceilings, dark, colorful light and a giant silkscreen Buddha tapestry as a centerpiece. This restaurant recalls the center city experience of a Buddakan or Pod more than any other venue the ‘burbs has to offer.

Service: Although the service was generally agreeable, several inconsistencies marred the overall experience. Firstly, when I originally called to make a reservation, I was bounced to three people and eventually a line that was never answered. When we arrived, although the room was 2/3 empty, we were placed at the table nearest the kitchen door and had to request a less busy location. Lastly, the waiters were a bit overzealous about clearing completed plates — several times they attempted to remove dishes that we were not quite ready to part with. Their intentions were likely honorable, but there is a fine line between being helpful and being too aggressive.

Wine List: The wine list is separated into several quirky but helpful categories — with cutesy names like “sweet nectar” and “bold nectar” that offer some help in navigating the medium-sized list. The prices, however, are outlandish, even for a restaurant of this quality. Less than a handful of bottles come in under $50, with many more available for $100 and above. Perhaps Feury and co. know something that I don’t about the clientele, but I find it baffling that many people would be shelling out three figures for a bottle of wine all that often. Offering a better selection in the $30-$50 range would make the overall experience much more enjoyable and complete. House wine is available for $6.50 a glass, a flat out deal compared to the bottles.

Value: Make no mistake about it — Nectar is fine dining and is priced accordingly. Entrees tend to run in the $20s, with a few available in the teens. The top dishes like the aforementioned lobster/scallop combo and venison were each $29, which is a reasonable price considering the quality of each dish. Appetizers tend to be around $8, and if combined with some sushi would probably make a pretty nice, reasonably priced meal. As mentioned above, the wine list is offensively overpriced, and as such brings down the value of Nectar as a whole.

Details:
# of times we’ve eaten there: 1
Reservations: Yes
Cards: Yes
Bar: Full

Rating: 3 silver spoons out of 5

Overview: Cozy Thai BYOB gem serving excellent steaks and Thai cuisine.

Food: Although there are many traditional Thai dishes on the menu, two menu items steal the show: Filet Mignon and the red curry sauce. First off, you can order the filet several ways: red wine reduction, green peppercorn sauce, and of course with the red curry sauce. Although they are all excellent, the red curry filet is a must have dish — a wonderfully prepared steak in one of the best Thai curry sauces you will ever find. Save some bread from before the meal — you will need it to mop up the excess sauce. By the way, the crispy duck also comes with red curry sauce and is excellent. The food can falter when the restaurant gets extremely busy — even my treasured curry sauce once came out a bit powdery.
Bread: with butter. Save some for later. Trust me.

Ambiance: Not sure about the new location!
Service: The hosts/owners mean well, but can come off as gruff, especially when they are busy. For some this is enough to stay away — for others, this is just a quirky part of their neighborhood spot.
Value: BYOB, great food = great value.

Details:
# of times we’ve eaten there: 5
Reservations: Yes
Payments: Cards
Bar: BYOB
Restaurant closes for an extended vacation at some point during the year (I believe in the summer)

Rating: 3 silver spoons out of 5

Overview: By day, the best breakfast/lunch joint in the area.

Breakfast: Nudy’s creative spin on comfort food is a step above standard diner fare in the area. It’s difficult to choose incorrectly with a wide variety of specialty pancakes, french toasts and omelets. Favorites include the pumpkin spice pancakes and the banana walnut french toast.

Lunch: From cold cut sandwiches to specials hot off the grill, Nudy’s offers a wide variety of standard and specialty sandwiches. A few highlights include the roast pork sandwich with roasted peppers and a chicken salad wrap with apples and almonds.

Ambiance: Small, cozy and bustling, Nudy’s has the charm of a great neighborhood hangout. During the summer, there is a good sized patio for outside dining, most of which is covered and heated during the winter.

Service: At busy times, staff can be a bit overwhelmed, but are always helpful.

Value: Diner prices with better than diner food. Great value.

Details:
# of times we’ve eaten there: 5+
Reservations: No… Expect long weekend waits for Brunch.
Payments: Cards
Bar: BYOB