The Tropics in a Martini Glass

Lychee martini at Dupont Circle

Does the warm winter make you think of the tropics? If you can’t get there, our new lychee martini can transport your taste buds to a place of sun and fun. Light, refreshing and tropical, our lychee martini is made with lychee-rose vodka, lychee juice and fresh lime juice and garnished with a fresh lychee. Cheers!

Specials for the Week of Feb. 25-March 3

Here are the weekly specials at Heritage India Georgetown.

Bartender’s Specials

Pear Sorbet Margarita
Tequila, pear sorbet, Cointreau and lime juice make this margarita different from others in every which way.


Starter

Shrimp and Tofu Poppers
Shrimp and tofu lollipops on a sugar cane stick with spicy mango sauce.



Entrées

Tamarind- and Honey-Glazed Chicken Kebabs
White meat chicken in a light honey, roasted coriander and tamarind marinade, grilled in the Indian oven and served with a side of pineapple raita.

Kodampuli (Kerala Tamarind Fish)
Fillet of fish in a tangy tamarind and fresh ginger sauce.


Special Teas

Early Grey black tea
Lemon green tea

If it’s Happy Hour, You Must :)

 It’s called Happy Hour. Smiling is mandatory.  

Why are these ladies smiling? Maybe it has something to do with the lychee martini we just introduced at Dupont Circle. Or maybe it’s because they did what so many groups of friends and co-workers do: stop in for happy hour and get lost in friendly camaraderie for hours. Time flies when you’re in good company. Relax. Occupy your barstool for as long as you’d like. Have a full dinner at the bar. It’s all good.

The Honorable Potato

Aloo tikki

February is National Potato Lover’s Month. Integral to Indian cuisine, the potato is honored all year around at Heritage India. Samosas may be the best known potato street food, but our menu includes a number of other dishes as well. We like the taste and appearance of aloo tikki, spiced potatoes formed into a pear shape and served with a side of chana masala, our curried chickpeas.

Specials for the Week of Feb. 18-25

Here are the weekly specials at Heritage India Georgetown.

Bartender’s Specials

Spice on Ice
Mango pulp, flavored vodka, fresh mint leaves and a dusting of chili, shaken and rimmed with rock salt and sugar.


Starter

Fish Roll
Flounder fillet rolled with fresh mint sauce and fried in a light rice flour batter. Served with sweet papaya chutney.

Entrées

Chicken or Lamb Dhansak
Especially popular among the Parsi community, this dish combines elements of Persian and Gujarati cuisine. It is made with meat simmered in lentils, fresh pumpkin and freshly roasted spices.

Bhartha
Smoked eggplant sauteed with tomatoes and onions.

Khajoor Naan
White flour bread filled with dates, ginger and fresh cottage cheese.

Special Teas

Early Grey black tea
Lemon green tea

Happy National Almond Day!

Korma, an almond curry, is the ideal way to celebrate, in our not-so-humble opinion.

Almonds are integral to our rich korma curries.

Korma combines notes of almond, fennel and chili peppers into a creamy curry. Here it’s pictured with chicken, an off-menu option at both of our restaurants. The lamb version, Gosht Avad Korma, appears on the Georgetown menu and can be prepared by request at Dupont Circle.

The vegetarian option is called Subz Shahi Korma (Georgetown) and Navrattan Korma (Dupont Circle).

Its name may change but it always shines in translation. We can think of no better way to honor National Almond Day.

A Fine Alternative

Dining at Heritage India is purposely – mindfully – not fast food. By contrast, today’s New York Times reports how Washington’s Merzi and other fast-casual Indian restaurants are demystifying the cuisine for mainstream consumers while making it fast and accessible.

There’s some overlap between Heritage India’s street foods and the kinds of dishes the fast-casual places serve. Kathi rolls on our Dupont Circle menu, for example, are commonly interpreted in a fast-casual setting.

Our Dupont Circle restaurant serves a "frankie" or "kathi roll" with paneer (pictured) or chicken 

From The Times’ “Don’t Understand Indian Food? They’ll Break It Down:”

In the United States, kati rolls and other flatbread-wrapped foods have been popular for at least a decade. Paratha Junction in Jersey City and the Kati Roll Company, with locations in New York City and London, are two of the quick-service restaurant companies that specialize in portable Indian foods. Many of these newfangled foods are being built on bases of relatively authentic Indian flatbreads. Merzi, one of these nascent chains, serves roti wraps, stuffed with “tandisserie” chicken, at its Washington prototype. (The menu translates the term as “tandoori-seasoned chicken cooked rotisserie style.”)

Having broken bread at Merzi on several occasions, your blog editor is grateful to have such unfussy, accessible cafes in town.

Love, Love, Love

After a first date at Heritage India, Alice and Terry married and celebrated three anniversaries here where it all began

Terry and Alice went on their first date at Heritage India Dupont Circle in 2008. Now married, they’ve celebrated three anniversaries with us! Terry’s favorite dish is the Chicken Tikka Masala and he also fancies the Tandoori chicken. Alice favors Sag Gosht.

Alas, so many reasons to fall in ♥ at – and with – Heritage India.

Specials for the Week of Feb. 11-18

Here are the weekly specials at Heritage India Georgetown.

Bartender’s Specials

San Valentine
Tequila, guava nectar, raspberry liqueur and sparkling wine. Romance the night away with this light yet heady cocktail.



Starter

Dildar Subzi Tikki
A hearty fresh vegetable patty served with sweet papaya chutney.


Entrées

Adraki Chicken Kebab
A grilled white meat chicken kebab marinated with ginger, fennel and gram flour.

Keema Matter
Rich lamb curry made of ground meat and fresh green peas.

Missi Roti
A popular bread choice in much of Northern India, this roti is made from whole what and chickpea flour, chopped onions and green chilies.


Special Teas

Guava iced tea: a refreshing iced tea flavored with guava nectar.
Orange herbal tea: A caffeine-free Chinese herbal tea best drunk with orange zest and honey.

East and West Coast Washingtonians

Thsee East and West Coast Washingtonians united in high praise of their Heritage India dinner

What do these two men have in common? One, they’re quite impressed by their meals at Heritage India Georgetown. They chose to sit in the Heritage Asia dining room, where you can order off the Asian and/or Indian menus.

 Matt, seated at left, commented, “awesome matter paneer. Keep it up!”

Chris said he ate the “best chana masala I’ve ever had! Perfectly spiced!”

Here’s something else they have in common. They’re both from Washington, but that’s where the similarity ends. Matt lives here in the DC area and Chris was visiting from Washington state.

New Menus Coming. What Should Stay? What Should be Added? Vote for Your Favorites

Heritage India is finalizing our new menus and we want to hear from you. We’re revising both the Dupont Circle and Georgetown menus.

Of course, the Chicken Tikka Masala, Sag Paneer and other classics are here to stay. What else do you fancy?

Tell us which dishes we must keep and what we should add to the menus. State your preferences in the comments or email us directly at heritagegtown@verizon.net.

Vegan Delights for DC Meat-Free Week

Heritage India is spotlighting our vegan dishes during Meat-Free Week, Feb. 6-13.

We’re pleased to offer Meat-Free Week diners 10% off vegan (and vegetarian) dishes, made with a wide range of vegetables and lentils. On the occasion of a positive review by the Veracious Vegan, we created a list of our diverse vegan entrees. Our Georgetown restaurant offers the widest selection of main courses. Our Dupont Circle menu includes small plates such as spicy tofu with mustard seeds and plum tomatoes, which we call a vegan’s dream come true.

Just mention Meat-Free Week to receive the discount. This promotion can’t be combined with happy hour prices, Groupons or other discounts or offers.

Following the Calendar to Chocolate and Potatoes

We have consulted the food calendar and learned two very important pieces of information. February is Celebration of Chocolate Month and Potato Lover’s Month.

Indian cuisine uses the potato in hundreds of ways, so our connection to Potato Lover’s Month is as clear as the samosas on your table.

You can celebrate chocolate at Heritage India’s Dupont Circle restaurant with two dessert choices. We offer Exotic Passion, a passionfruit mousse charlotte caged in a chocolate crust, and Pistachio Chocolate Duo, a pistachio-chocolate terrine with fresh seasonal berries.

If you like to drink your chocolate, our Georgetown restaurant serves a Chocolate French Kiss cocktail, made with vanilla vodka, Godiva chocolate, Godiva white chocolate and Liquor 43.

Cheers!