Urbann Turbann

Chicken Tandoori at Urbann Turbann.

Located just north of the UC Berkeley campus on Euclid, Urbann Turbann has acquired a reputation as a "cheap eats" establishment. But judging on our first visit, I'd say it's one of the tastiest in the less than $10 category. One can say they do everything Chipotle does, but much better.

Chicken Tandoori Bowl. You choose wrap (fresh made Naan or Roti) or bowl--choose your rice, potato option, choose your meat/vegetarian/vegan option, then choose from any number of vegetables, then chutneys. This has brown rice, potato, chicken tandoori, cucumber, greens, onion, tomatoes, cilantro, coconut chutney, cilantro chutney. Closeup below. Doesn't this look beautiful?

Normally I would opt for a bowl, but I saw a fellow in the kitchen rolling out and cooking naan fresh. Sure ain't some machine-made naan flash-frozen then loaded on container ships, and delivered in the alley via cardboard boxes from an eighteen-wheeler. 

I chose Pork Vindaloo (slow cooked Pork Shoulder, i.e. Carnitas, with a whole lot of Indian spices), brown basmati rice, potato, cucumber, chiles, tomato, coconut chutney, and Fiery Tomato Chutney (habanero, tomato, cumin). I must emphasize: these folks don't hold back at all in terms of using spices, and I mean all spices, not just the chiles, but the full range of traditional Indian spices. 

The vegetables are as fresh as could be. Maybe I'm just eating less meat these days, but I gotta say, my Pork Vindaloo wrap was definitely not stingy when it came to the meat. But then again, Pork Shoulder is an inexpensive cut, because most Americans don't have the patience to cook it slow and low (crock pot works great), but when it's done right, like here at Urbann Turbann, it can be moist and tender and flavorful. Perfect medium for spicy food.

http://urbannturbann.com