Saturday, February 5, 2011

Merzi: Fast Food Indian - Why Didn't Someone Do This Earlier

My first thought while eating at Merzi, a recently opened fast food Indian joint in Chinatown/Penn Quarter, was why hadn't someone introduced this concept sooner on a mass produced scale. Sure, we've had our Naan And Beyonds and Curry in a Hurrys, but I've never seen a polished place in the US like Merzi serve Indian-inspired flavors with Chipotle-style efficiency and decor.

The chicken with curry sauce on a naan carried a surprising spicy kick--I expected more subtle seasoning to cater to the masses--although one can choose among mild, medium, or spicy finishing sauces. The samosas, while dry from sitting under a heat lamp for far too long, had an unexpected slight sweetness from currants or something (I gobbled them down too quickly on the go to pay attention.) And like Chipotle, the portions are large, so I was unable to finish my substantive meal.

The food won't amaze, and it could certainly use some polishing (the corn topping ladeled on my dish was a distraction). But if you need to satisfy you curry cravings on the cheap, Merzi is a solid option, and I expect we will be seeing more of these around DC in no time.