Ela Curry and Cocktails: Butter Chicken Thali, Masala Dosa and Pani Puri.

Ela Curry and Cocktails is hosting World Cup specials for the entirety of the tournament, so I threw on my new Saka jersey, adorned my face with red glitter and headed to Palm Beach Gardens to one of my favorite spots in Palm Beach County.

The Spot: Ela Curry & Cocktails

• Location: 4650 Donald Ross Rd Ste 100, Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33418

• Vibe: Hanging out with your coolest Indian friend, eating great food and cheering for the World Cup despite the sweltering heat.

 

The Bite: Butter Chicken Thali, Masala Dosa and Pani Puri

Price:

• Butter Chicken Thali (served with basmati rice, seeded naan, apple chutney and dal makhani and a cocktail): $20

• Masala Dosa: $18

• Pani Puri: $14

• Vegetarian Status: Lots of vegetarian options.

The Flavor Breakdown

I will always want to eat Indian food and that desire increases exponentially knowing the Indian food in question is crafted by Marathe Pushkar, the chef behind Stage, Mango Mercado and Ela Curry and Cocktails.

I’ve been to Ela several times now and tried several vegetarian options on the menu (the spicy cheese paratha is one of the best things you can eat in Palm Beach County, the tater tot chaat is an inspired American-Indian fusion dish and the palak paneer is…fine).

They’re showing every World Cup match this year and offering drink specials for every team playing and honestly, what’s more traditional than supporting England while eating Indian food?

Summertime in South Florida can be slow, so lots of restaurants offer dining specials and Ela might have one of the best ones going right now with their Curry and Cocktail Hour. From 3:00pm-6:00pm, diners can enjoy their choice of three curries served with rice, dal, seeded naan, apple chutney and a cocktail for $20.

My son’s favorite food is butter chicken, so we grabbed that for him and he paid the Mom tax which involves me taking a bite of everything on his plate. While I didn’t eat the chicken, the sauce was creamy, flavorful and appealing to pretty much palate, the naan was buttery, the dal was rich and indulgent (makhani means butter) and the apple chutney was sweet and less intensely spiced than I was expecting.

I also shared an order of dosa and pani puri with a friend.

South Indian food does not get the love it deserves in Palm Beach County and the older I get, the more I appreciate rice, curry leaves, tamarind, chilis and coconut - all South Indian staples.

The dosa is excellent with crispy edges and a soft, pillowy inside with an even softer potato masala filling. It is served with a savory coconut chutney, a creamy tomato-peanut chutney and a sambhar that I wanted to drink by the gallon. It’s a classic made right and even though I’m a rava dosa girl (made of semolina and rice flour, they are shatter-crisp, lighter and studded with onions, cilantro and green chilis), these hit the spot.

Pani puri is an Indian street food classic and a bit of a novelty act when it comes to snacks. You pour seasoned water (the pani) into a crunchy semolina ball (the puri). Potatoes and chickpeas are the traditional filling but Ela subs the potatoes for beets - a welcome and colorful substitution. Then, you jam the whole thing in your mouth, the flavors explode and if you do it right, you don’t get any on your clothes.

It’s delicious and fun, but I’d rather just eat a tureen of bhel puri or dahi puri or papdi chaat or raj kachori or…

Hey, I’ve been eating it for like, 35 years. The novelty has worn off for me but that shouldn’t dissuade you from getting it. Order a bunch. Have fun. Just don’t wear a white shirt that day.

The Beverages: Palm Beach Problems, Tanqueray and Tonic, Cava

• Price:

  • Palm Beach Problems (included in the cost of the $20 thali)

  • Tanqueray and Tonic: $5

  • Cava: $13

Palm Beach Problems usually consist of having illiquid wealth because all of your money is tied up in prancing horses and super rare artwork from Rembrandt’s hot pink period. These are not the kind of problems I will ever care about in a county where approximately 15% of our children live in poverty.

However, the Palm Beach Problems cocktail? I am all about that. It features Salt Road blood orange gin, rosemary, ginger, watermelon, lemon and sparkling wine and it’s one of the most refreshing beverages you could quaff while sitting in the oven-like South Florida heat.

Ela features different $5 drink specials for each World Cup match depending on who is playing. On England match days, guests can enjoy a $5 Tanq and Tonic which is a helluva deal no matter who you’re cheering for (it’s England. You’re rooting for England. Stop being silly).

Drink up and donate to the Palm Beach County Food Bank while you’re at it.

One Mouthy Sandwich Girl Rating:

• Flavor & Freshness:

  • 🥪 🥪 🥪 🥪 - Curry and Cocktail Thali

  • 🥪 🥪 🥪 🥪 - Dosa

  • 🥪 🥪 🥪 🥪 - Pani Puri

  • 🥪 🥪 🥪 🥪 - Average Rating

• Value for Buck:

  • 🥪 🥪 🥪 🥪

  • Curry, dal, rice, naan, chutney and a cocktail for $20. GO TO THERE NOW.

• Vegetarian Variety:

  • 🥪 🥪 🥪 🥪

  • Vegetarians can indulge here with options ranging from the ones mentioned to Chili Paneer (a general Tso-sy take on paneer, onions, and mushrooms), various salads, grilled Brussels and curry house classics like vegetable korma, dal makhani, channa masala and palak paneer.

• The Verdict:

  • 🥪 🥪 🥪 🥪

  • Ela is a little more upscale than your favorite strip mall Indian joint but between the quality of the food and the incredible summer menu, you’re walking away feeling like you’re the Englishman who stole the Koh-i-Noor diamond.