The restaurant space formerly home to Chomp Chomp in downtown Bend hasn’t changed drastically since the opening of Spiceland, but a fresh coat of light green paint makes the space feel brighter and inviting for daytime dining.

When I walked inside last Thursday at 1 p.m., it was buzzing with a lively lunch crowd.

Spiceland differentiates itself from Bend’s other sit-down Indian restaurants in that it doesn’t offer a buffet. Each dish is made to order and takes about a half hour to prepare.

Those who step inside the new restaurant will likely find Craig Hanson tending the bar. He consulted with Fayaz Pasha and Ali Rumman on the opening of the new restaurant, which serves South and North Indian cuisine.

“You’re going to find authentic southern and northern Indian food cooked by folks who’ve been doing it forever. Our kitchen has about 160 years of combined experience in cooking Indian food,” Hanson said.

Rumman owns Evergreen Indian restaurants in Corvallis and Eugene. Although there are similarities among the three concepts, Spiceland is its own restaurant, offering an elevated style with slightly different ingredients, Hanson said.

What’s on the menu?

Each main dish is served a la carte or for about four dollars more, thali, a platter that includes the entree plus five small servings: the curry and dessert of the day, soup, raita (a yogurt-based side dish), dal (usually lentils, peas or beans), rice and naan.

The extensive five-page menu is categorized by South Indian delights, tandoori specialities, Biryani entrees (a popular Indian rice dish) and entrees made with lamb, chicken or vegetables. Dishes are also clearly marked vegan, gluten-free or contain tree nuts.

“The ethos is that everybody should be able to come here,” Hanson said. “The kitchen, with their religious beliefs and their cultural beliefs, they go to great lengths to make sure that people who share those beliefs or are simply allergic or choose not to indulge in meat, dairy or gluten, whatever their reason behind it, feel like they can get the same experience.”

The menu showcases Indian culture, with certain accommodations for the local market, such as the addition of tofu, Pasha said.

The chicken tikka masala ($19.95 a la carte, $23.95 thali) was delightfully creamy and rich with a well-balanced tomato sauce. One of the sides, a palek paneer, was a decadent blend of creamy and earthy spices. The raita, made with yoghurt and vegetables and included with the thali dishes, offers a cooling sensation for some of the spicier dishes.

Masala dosa ($13.95), a crispy gluten-free rice crepe, was about as large as my arm. It came folded and served with a side of soup and coconut, tomato and mint chutneys. The Spiceland Mixed Grill ($22.95) was presented steaming at the table, a platter of fiery red chicken drumsticks mixed with chicken and lamb.

Spiceland makes its portions larger than most, hoping its guests have enough food to share, or to bring home leftovers to enjoy the next day, Pasha said.

What impressed me was the restaurant’s ability to deliver quality and quantity at the same time.

Bar menu serves cocktails, mocktails and more

Spiceland has not yet held an official grand opening. It’s awaiting decor to be shipped from India and Hanson is putting the final touches on the bar menu. The finalized menu will have equal parts, cocktails and mocktails, with about seven options of each.

“Your experience at a restaurant shouldn’t be lowered because you choose not to drink,” Hanson said. “You should be able to have the same quality experience of getting a beverage that goes well with your meal, that makes you feel like you’re getting good value and that the people who are running the place care about you.”

The bar menu features classics such as mojitos, mules and old fashioned cocktails ($15 each). Mocktails include specialties, like My Own Summer with grapefruit juice, soda water and a paprika and salt rim ($12) and Head Over Heels with coconut, pineapple, cherry juice and fresh lime ($12).

“We want to be a destination for people who are in Bend and for people who are coming to Bend,” Hanson said.

Details

What: Spiceland Indian Restaurant

Location: 945 NW Bond St., Bend

Contact: spicelandbend.com or 541-728-2900

Hours: 11 a.m.-3 p.m. and 5-9 p.m. daily, bar open 11

Price Range: Entrees range between $17.95-$26.95

Cuisine: Indian