Saturday, January 26, 2013

Ganesh Indian Restaurant-Tagajo ガネーシャ 022-366-7633

Website:  http://homepage2.nifty.com/kanri/ganesh/hp/shop_tagajo.html

Address:  宮城県多賀城市東田中2丁目40-1.   This branch is located about a two-minute walk from Tagajo JR Station (Senseki Line).  When exiting the station, turn right.  Then turn right at the first signal.  It will be on your left-hand side.  There are other branches in Kamisugiyamadori, , Izumi, Ishinomaki, Sanuma, and Nagamachi.  
The post on the Ganesh-Nagamachi is HERE.
Map:  Scroll down below.
Open:  Everyday 11 am to 9 pm.  Lunchtime is stated to end at 3 pm.
The original Ganesh-Tagajo on Route 45 was recommended to me by many local residents over the past three years, but I was never able to give it a try.  Sadly, the original restaurant was destroyed by the March 11th tsunami, which led me to believe that I had lost out on a good opportunity.
Thankfully, they re-opened, albeit, in a much more hidden location.
I was fortunate that we held a staff luncheon at the new Ganesh-Tagajo where I was able to gather opinions from normal eaters about the food, despite us all ordering the same meal.
We went with the Recommended Lunch Set of the Day, which included chicken & okra curry, naan, saffron rice, salad, two pieces of chicken tikka, and a glass of lassi (a yogurt-based drink), all for only 1000 yen.



Recommended Lunch Set of the Day

First, let me say that eight out of ten staff members recommend Ganesh-Tagajo for an enjoyable Indian feast.  One of our party even returned with his family later that weekend to once again delight in the Indian fare.
That being said, my friend and I came away with a slightly different opinion, especially about the naan.  Good naan, like a good tortilla, should have its own exceptional flavoring, so appetizing that it could be eaten by itself.  In my opinion (and my friend’s), this naan was not of that caliber.   It was passable, but not great.  I did manage to finish off my huge serving of naan, but my friend left half of hers.  I suspect mainly due to its enormous size, but I also believe that the lack of any noteworthy flavor had something to do with it, as well.
The ladies in our group were unable to eat their entire meals and they all agreed that it was just too much food, while the lads didn’t see the generous proportions as a problem.
I’ll admit that the curry was nice, but it could have been spicier.  I guess this is my fault since you can choose the level of spiciness of your curry, and I, as most of our party did, chose the medium level.  One brave soul ordered the strongest level of spice.  I had a sampling, and though it was spicier than mine, it didn’t cause any fires in my mouth that needed extinguishing.  It might be worth a try for those with a taste of adventure.
The chicken tikka was good, but it was nothing to write home about.  I’m not big on saffron rice so to me I could take it or leave it.  But due to my pickiness I was the only one in our group who didn’t drink the lassi.  I don’t like yogurt, but apparently if you do, then this is the drink for you.



ラッシー

There is no free parking available but behind the restaurant is a multi-storied parking structure that can be used.  When paying for your order, tell the staff that you parked there and you will receive a discount ticket that will cover some of the cost of the parking.
I didn’t really care for Ganesh-Nagamachi when I first visited there, but have grown to really like it.  I’m hoping that the same will happen upon a return visit to Ganesh-Tagajo.  Perhaps I’ll see the light and enjoy the same experience that my eight dining companions encountered.  


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