Kangchen Indian Restaurant

Very pleased with our first visit. Service was excellent. Manchurian appetizer was superb. Hakka (Indo-China) noodles and fish curry were both good. As a pale fellow, I loved that they actually make dishes spicy if you want them spicy. I struggle with this at many establishments, and have to "convince" the staff that I can actually handle it. Dining with an Indian friend may have helped my credibility, but I was nonetheless pleased. Most people who claim to LOVE spicy food will probably want to start with MEDIUM. I can handle quite a bit of heat, and in my opinion, medium was the perfect balance of heat and flavor (at least for the dishes we ordered). Looking forward to returning to try more dishes!

Food is excellent, interior is attractive. My husband and I love Indian food and have eaten at eight or nine other local Indian restaurants. This place ranks with the best for food quality but there are two reasons why I think it's special. First, it is unique for Madison's Indian fare. The chef is from Chennai, a city in Tamil Nadu (Southern India) and the menu emphasizes Southern Indian and Indo-Chinese cuisine (Indo-Chinese is a specialty in India, you're not just getting Chinese food). I was especially excited to see pesarattu available on the Dosa Special menu selection. Second, if you have the chance, ask your server about the background of the people who work there. The restaurant is owned by refugee immigrants of Nepalese descent. You could have a really interesting and enlightening conversation with him about their experience. Now, let's talk about the food. We had the Tawa Fish appetizer, Malabal Fish Curry and the Masala Dosa and Mango Lassis to drink. The Tawa Fish appetizer is essentially a cross-section cut of fish marinated in a thick spice paste. It is very spicy and the bones are still in the fish, which made it a little challenging to eat, but it tasted wonderful and was nicely presented on a bed of fresh vegetables. The Malabal Fish Curry was well balanced and the fish was very tender and flaked perfectly when spreading it over my rice (fish is served without bone). It's a coconut-based curry, and it's a good example of what I think of as "Indian soul food". Finally, my personal favorite, was the Masala Dosa. It was a masterpiece. The crepe was thin, perfectly formed, and the right stiffness. The potato and pea mixture inside was delicious all by itself. The sambar and accompanying chutneys were addictive and I ended up eating almost the whole thing by myself. I'd highly recommend that you try this place if you're looking for something unique while still satisfying your craving for Indian.

I love their buffet in the afternoons, quality is very good any day. But if you order biryani, it may not be so good. Over all, a very nice restaurant.