Chicken Majestic may be a common appetizer in Hyderabad, but there aren’t many places you’ll see it in the United States. Made with fried chicken strips in a lightly spiced yogurt sauce, it’s a dish that American diners should know. And if they visit Herndon’s newest upscale Indian restaurant, they will.
Mirch Dhamaka, which means “chile explosion,” opened last October in the Village Center at Dulles, known to locals as Clocktower. Manager Mukesh Patlori says that a Herndon extended family shares ownership of the restaurant. A team of chefs cooks up both northern and southern Indian specialties, carefully avoiding all artificial colors and preservatives in the spice mixes.
That means that although the butter chicken is filled with marinated meat, it doesn’t have the telltale red coating that many other restaurants use to foreshadow deep flavor. Salmon tikka is orangey-red not because of red dye 40, but thanks to a collection of freshly ground spices. And it’s more vivid on the palate than to the eye.
Diners might elect to calm the heat of a curry with curd rice, a South Indian side that’s a cool cousin to risotto. Although it’s creamy with yogurt, don’t be surprised to find crunchy chiles and mustard seeds adding a wash of aggressive flavor. Pomegranate arils give the dish a fruity hint of refreshment.
Mirch Dhamaka is a destination for Indian food lovers looking for an elevated option, but that’s only on one side of the restaurant. At the entrance facing the road, diners are invited to a whole different experience, a South Asian café that serves filling breakfasts, including a range of dosas, with housemade masala chai. As the weather warms up, a third prong of the business willdebut — a dhaba, a casual roadside restaurant that’s akin to a truck stop diner. Whether diners are seeking a white tablecloth experience or a quick, casual breakfast, it’s well worth a spicy visit to Clocktower.
2443 Centreville Rd., Ste. G1, Herndon
Feature image by Shannon Ayres
This story originally ran in our March issue. For more stories like this, subscribe to Northern Virginia Magazine.
