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Creamy chicken tikka masala, spiced lamb in Rogan Josh, garlic naan and cardamom-infused basmati rice. Photos Amanda Kuehn
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When you first arrive at T's Firehouse, you may question if you've come to the right place. Located in the former home of Fuz, adjacent to a large parking lot behind Kelly-Moore Paints, the new Indian restaurant and sports bar is easy to miss.
Enter the tan double doors and you're greeted by an exhibit of colorful hanging lanterns and mannequins clad in traditional Indian clothing. "Each [of them] represents something else," said owner Harinder Singh Tiwana. One mannequin is grinding flour, another spinning cotton, a third figure doing a traditional dance. Tiwana hopes the foyer decor will "give a feel of India" to his establishment.
Pass through a short hallway and you get to the restaurant itself - a single open room with low and high top tables decked with white table cloths and folded napkins. There is also seating at an extensive and impressive bar, the feature around which T's is arranged.
"We wanted to be different from other Indian restaurants," said Tiwana, who hopes to attract multiple demographics with his unique combination of formal dining, authentic Indian cuisine and a sports bar atmosphere featuring six big screen TVs.
Purchased in 2012, T's has been two years in the making. Tiwana, who has lived in the area for some 25 years and has worked a wide array of jobs from transportation to agriculture, has done much of the work himself, including the design and construction of a backlit glass cabinet that flashes the bright colors of a Bollywood film.
Whereas other Indian establishments often feature buffets, T's is made to order. The daily lunch special allows you to choose two of six entree options (four of which are vegetarian), served with your choice of cardamom-infused basmati rice or puffy, crisp naan bread for $9.95. There are also four wrap options (two vegetarian and two meat). The dinner menu is more extensive, with both vegetarian and meat options that range from the lingering spicy cinnamon of lamb chunks simmered in Rogan Josh sauce to the creamy tomato-onion sauce of the Chicken Tikka Masala. The signature appetizer is a thin crisp lentil papadum speckled with fennel seeds and wrapped around large tender prawns in a warm spiced sauce sprinkled with cilantro. One serving includes two papdums.
T's officially opened on May 10. Happy hour happens every day from 3 to 5 p.m. In addition to sustainable wines from Banrock Station and eight beers on draft, T's also features seven specialty cocktails, ranging from the refreshing Yerba Buena to the fruity Wicked Sparkler.
If you're looking for friendly service and authentic Indian flavors, a new destination for dinner and drinks or a place to grab a beer and watch the game, T's might be just the right combination.
T's Firehouse
3709 Mt. Diablo Blvd.
Lafayette
(925) 298-5981
info@tsfirehousebar.com
www.tsfirehousebar.com
Open daily from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
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Lamorinda Weekly, Moraga CA