Darbar India: Indian Pizza, Tacos & Beautiful Authentic Indian Cuisine in Branford

So this taco and this pizza walk into an Indian joint…

Darbar India located in Branford, Connecticut is a family run business that has been a staple of the Branford community, serving authentic Indian cuisine for nearly 30 years.  Sunny, Vinny and their father Haresh Nariyani took over the business in 2008 and this past January they relocated to its current location on Montowese Street. 

When we were invited to check them out we naturally had to scope out their Instagram account which was filled with images of pizzas and tacos! Whaaaaat??? We really had to go see what this was all about. 

Inside we found a small, modern space flanked by quintessentially Indian artifacts and figurines, punctuated by their fish pond. While the decor might be simple, it’s the food that steals the show. Darbar prides themselves on their traditional flavors and cooking styles. While Sunny and Vinny were both born in the states, Haresh did not come over until 1990. 

We started our meal with Crispy Okra Fries. I didn’t recognize the dish of green fried goodness that had been placed in front of me. These crackling bits of whatever were insanely delicious, and incredibly addicting. I was truly shocked to learn that they were made from Okra. Yes Okra! Because who likes Okra? When fried to a perfected crisp, I certainly do and I highly recommend. 

Next we had the Vegetable Samoas, traditional pastries generously filled with mildly spiced potatoes and peas, followed by a Shrimp Poori — a flavorful Indian dish made with deep-fried unleavened bread (poori) and filled with shrimp. The minute you cut into the poori a burst of steam escapes, revealing the wonderful aromas and incredibly succulent shrimp that have been trapped within. A fun and delicious dish for sure.

Even those new to Indian cuisine know that you can never go wrong with garlic and cheese Naan. Warm and tender garlicky-cheesy-doughy goodness abounds, but raise it to the next level and dip it into and scoop up copious amounts of Tiki sauce from their Chicken Maharaja. Their Tiki Sauce and Chicken Maharaja are quite famous, so we’re told. It was described to us as being like tikka masala on steroids. (I think the actual word used was “elevated” but my artistic freedom…). Sunny kept saying “famous tiki sauce” over and over again, and as soon as I got wind of it I had to agree – It really is that good. So dip in, swirl it around and get as much as you can into your mouth!

What makes their Chicken Maharaja so exceptional is that it’s marinated for 24 hours before going into the tandoor (clay pot), resulting in flavors that are richer, deeper and more intense and a meat that’s exquisitely tender. 

Then there’s the Saag Paneer, a traditional dish featuring spinach that’s been stewed in garlic, ginger and a myriad of other spices until it all becomes incredibly soft. The paneer is a very mild cheese, and together with the stewed greens is pure comfort.  Their saag paneer is different from others you may find locally. Cooked in the traditional Indian method, the dish is intentionally creamy but devoid of cream that most US restaurants add. By omitting the cream, the true flavors really shine through.  

Lastly we tried the Chicken Lollipop which has just been added to their appetizers. The chicken lollipop is their take on chicken wings. But if I may, the two don’t even compare. Here we have ridiculously crispy “lollipops” made from drumsticks that are nothing short of amazing on taste and will exceed your wildest expectations. Trust me on this. And yes, of course they come with the “famous” tikka sauce for dipping. But I implore you to try them without dipping first – they are that good. 

Lest I forget the drinks… Darbar has just launched their new cocktail menu. Their Spiced Pumpkin Chai is made with a homemade chai and combined with pumpkin liqueur and vanilla vodka – in case you want a drinkable dessert! This was quite delicious. The Smoked Old Fashion is an old fashion made their way with cardamom syrup and smoked side. Fun and delicious! There’s a Bombay Bloody Mary, your favorite brunch beverage has a twist with tamarin flavor and topped with aloo pakora (a popular Indian treat featuring deep fried potatoes) in lieu of the requisite celery stalk for a little bit sweet and a little bit savory. The Royal Empress is a stunning purple martini, made with Empress gin, shaken with lemonade, blueberries, and a touch of honey. 

But wait! What about the pizza and tacos? The question that begs to be asked, what do pizza and tacos have in common with an authentically Indian restaurant?

Sunny noticed that, with thanks to TikTok and Instagram, Indian cuisine was starting to grow in popularity among a new generation of foodies. He also recognized that this new audience was still fairly intimidated by the new to them flavors. Sunny knew that the way to introduce people to a new cuisine is to make it more accessible. So how does one do that? One offers food that people are familiar with, and those such items happen to be pizza and tacos. So what do these items have in common? Absolutely nothing…  until now!

et us introduce you to the Chicken Tikka Masala Pizza. The crust is made from their own Naan, and  instead of a traditional Italian tomato sauce, they use their tomato-based tikka sauce along with their famous Chicken Maharaja and mozzarella, because obviously you need mozzarella!  Using a wooden paddle, they placed the pie into an actual pizza oven where it cooked for about 10 minutes. Out came a golden crusted, beautiful specimen of a pizza. I loved the originality, and the flavors really worked well together.

The tacos, also made from the naan dough, use the same Chicken Maharaja as well as onion, cilantro, and cotija cheese. And wouldn’t you know it, I found myself quite enjoying this Indian style taco. Even though the ingredients are so similar, I was surprised that the flavor profiles of these two dishes were so different.

But truth be told I’ll admit to being a purist — I love Indian food, especially really good Indian food. And while I applaud the creativity, I was drawn to their authentic dishes. When I crave Indian, it’s Indian that I want, not a blend… Not a hybrid. That said Darbar offers some of the best Indian food I’ve had in Connecticut. 

I keep finding myself perusing their menu and there are so many more dishes I want to try.
If you find yourself in or near the Branford area I highly recommend that you stop by – and if you’re not local, it’s absolutely worth the drive. 

 On a scale of 1 – 5 Garlic Naan, Darbar get a solid 4.5!