An Indian thali refers to both a circular, silver platter as well as a way of serving a complete meal on a single platter. Rather than appetizers, entrees and dessert served as courses, in Indian cuisine food is usually eaten either family-style or served on a thali. With a thali, each diner receives a silver platter with half a dozen or more small bowls of different dishes, with rice and bread served in the center. I love a good thali, so I did some research, and here are my favorite Indian thalis in D.C.
BOMBAY CLUB
I adore the upscale, luxurious vibe of Bombay Club. Low lighting, elegant cocktails, and delicious food are all hallmarks of dining at this D.C. staple and one of my favorite places to get thali in D.C. I recently visited Bombay Club and indulged in their Bombay Thali. It was everything I hoped for and more. Gorgeous silver bowls came filled to the brim with a variety of savory dishes, including paneer makhani, where cubes of soft, chewy paneer are swimming in a rich, creamy tomato sauce; a sinfully silky and buttery spinach gravy; garlicky and velvety black dal; spicy mixed vegetables; and cool cucumber raita, all served with heaps of truffle naan and lemon rice. The aromatics from the thali were thrilling enough, and once I dove in I couldn’t get enough.
The restaurant currently offers a vegetarian, meat, or seafood thali option, but I have an insider tip! Each week, Bombay Club will serve a special thali from a different region in India in March. Week 1’s thali includes dishes from Western Indian, week 2 features Southern Indian cuisine, week 3 explores Mughlai fare, and week 4 welcomes Punjab dishes.
Pappe
The charming décor of Pappe impresses me every time, but it’s the food that brings me back again and again. Also, this 14th Street restaurant is a great place to try thali in DC. It includes savory spinach paneer, with paneer floating in a sauce made of spinach, garlic, ginger, cumin, and coriander; daal makhani, lentils cooked with cream and spices; smoky and garlicky eggplant; Indian pickle, and garlic naan. It is a boatload of food, and you will love every bite. The food, service, and experience make Pappe one of the best in town.
Jewel of India
The strip mall location of Jewel of India is unexciting, but you will forget that as soon as you walk into the restaurant. The enticing scent of the food will envelop you and transport you somewhere exotic the second you walk through the door. The thali at Jewel of Indian is especially fun because you can choose which veggie items from the menu you want to be featured on your thali. I highly recommend the paneer labadar, featuring hunks of cheese cooked in a heady tomato and cream gravy. The slow-cooked chickpeas called channa masala are also delicious, as is the smoked eggplant, the fenugreek and mushroom curry, the cumin-spiced potatoes, and garlicky lasoni cauliflower. The choices are endless. Each thali comes with rice, bread, and even a dessert.
