Arlington’s favorite curry returns: A sparkling, sleek new Tandoor Indian Cuisine

Tandoor Indian Cuisine has made its triumphant return, and not one day too soon.

It’s tough to find Indian food this good, or at this price: less than $12 for most dishes, even cheaper at the lunch buffet.

The Singh family’s familiar chicken curries and creamed vegetables have fed Arlington for two generations.

For the first time since Tandoor opened in 1985, it has a new coat of paint and a sleek new look.

The lunch one recent day offered not only tikka masala and other curries, but also a hearty beef-tips dish, tandoori dark chicken and samosas.

If you’re sticking to vegetables, Tandoor is the best buffet this side of Kalachandjis in Dallas. The creamed spinach (saag paneer), spicy sauteed zucchini (aloo zucchini) and spicy chickpeas (channa masala) were kept fresh throughout lunch.

Perhaps the most amazing part of Tandoor’s lunch buffet is the endless supply of fluffy naan.

For $8 ($10 weekends), the lunch buffet also included rice pudding or a mango dessert.

At night, Tandoor’s menu expands to offer beef or lamb curries, more vegetable dishes and tandoori fish or shrimp.

It is one of Arlington’s most enduring traditions, and only a short drive from Fort Worth.

Tandoor is open daily for lunch and dinner (but not in mid-afternoon) at 1200 N. Fielder Road in the Fielder North Plaza shopping center, behind Mama’s Pizza and Starbucks; 817-261-6604, tandoorrestaurant.net.

Czech fest in Fort Worth

Oktoberfest is next week, and the 50th Greek Food Festival is in November.

But did you know Saturday is Czech Heritage Day, including a Czech food fest?

An $8 Czech roast pork-and-sausage lunch will be served starting at 1 p.m. at the SPJST Lodge 92 National Hall, an original 1938 Texas dance hall near Northwest Loop 820.

Yes, they’ll be selling kolaches. Local Czech-Americans celebrate their own tiny little version of WestFest every September, complete with polka dancing at 4 p.m. to the Jodie Mikula Orchestra.

The event is worth trying for the food, but also for a look at the classic National Hall and its huge oak dance floor.

Czech Day starts with lunch Saturday, and sausages will be sold in late afternoon; 3316 Roberts Cut Off Road, 817-624-1361 (reservations accepted); nationalhallfortworth.com.

Side dishes

A few Eats Beat updates:

▪ The Rise n°3 Soufflé French cafe in The Shops at Clearfork is still set for a Monday opening at 5135 Monahans Ave., 817-737-7473; risesouffle.com, reservations on yelp.com.

▪ Lonesome Dove Western Bistro, one of the nicest noontime restaurants in Fort Worth, now serves lunch only Fridays and Saturdays. But what a deal: $16 Fridays for a prime rib lunch; 2406 N. Main St., 817-740-8810, lonesomedovebistro.com.

▪ The Craft & Vine brewery and gastropub is closer to a Sept. 25 opening in Roanoke, promising chef Bill Trevino’s inventive dishes such as “Nashville hot” red snapper, chicken-and-waffles and an Akaushi tri-tip. It’s at 310 S. Oak St.; 817-464-8181, craftandvine.restaurant.

▪ Heim Barbecue & Catering is holding at two locations for now. A newly purchased White Settlement restaurant, the former Soda Springs, will be a catering headquarters, according to Travis Heim on Facebook.

His second location, the new Heim Barbecue on the River, is expected to open next summer at 5333 White Settlement Road. The original is open daily except Tuesdays at 1109 W. Magnolia Ave., 817-882-6970; heimbbq.com.

This story was originally published September 13, 2017 at 5:50 PM with the headline "Arlington’s favorite curry returns: A sparkling, sleek new Tandoor Indian Cuisine."