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Grand Ave (G, R, V)
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Tangra Masala is Indian Chinese food. This is a specific kind of cuisine. It is neither one nor the other, it is a genre of its own entirely, originating in Kolkata. It's not "fusion" cuisine. It's a cultural convergence.
While in Bombay I had a lot of incredible Indian Chinese. Usually from very questionable little roadside shacks, too. It took me some convincing from my then-girlfriend to try, but once I did I was hooked. Back in New York, I knew there must be somewhere that does it with our considerable Desi population.
Tangra Masala doesn't necessarily disappoint - the dishes I wanted were all there. But they're not quite as good as they were in the backstreets of Colaba. But it's good enough to be able to show my friends what American Chopsy, Paneer Manchurian, or "Schezuan" Vegetables are like (okay, their spelling is better here than it was in India).
I just checked their menu and they have Falooda! Get one of these.
Went there right when it opened (Lunch at 12pm) and the whole damn place smelled liked strong cleaning products.
Ordered the lollipop chicken, as everyone else suggested, and yes, it was mighty damn good. If you like fried chicken with a lot of breading, it's for you.
Also ordered the shrimp tangra masala. Waitress pointed out that it was going to be spicy. My companion and I acknowledged the fact because we're both use to eating spicy food. And holy sh*t she wasn't kidding when she said it was spicy! I thought I could handle my own when it came to spices, but I guess I was wrong! I had to order something else because I didn't want to fill my belly up with water from the spice, so I ended up ordering the Paneer Manchurian, which I liked.
Our last order was the Vegetable Manchurian Chow Mein - nothing special. Tasted like cheap Chinese to-go chow mein.
Maybe I ordered all the wrong things, but I wasn't all that impressed. It was my first time eating Indian Chinese, so maybe I don't have it all down, but I can't ignore what my taste buds were telling me.
There just has to be a better place out there than this.
This is an Indian/Chinese restaurant (aka a lot of Chinese food with lots of Indian spices).
Really spicy yet tasty yet oily food. I love the gobi manchurian (dry). Menu confuses me with tons of options.
Good mocktail: pina colada
Service is slow.
Location is right near the 7 train (literally).
Inside: ugh gaudy! It seems like its an Italian restaurant converted to an Indian spot.
Yikes, not too sure about this restaurant. I've eaten Indian Chinese food many times and, in essence, this place resembles that food, but in execution, it's pretty piss poor.
We started off with vegetable mo mo and vegetable pakora. The dumplings were soggy and overcooked (despite being pan fried) and the pakora was incredibly overfried. This stuff was hard as a rock and blackened around the entire piece.
The soups we had appeared to be from a can or...I'm not even sure. For the vegetables in the soup, apparently someone thought it would be a good idea to drop lettuce and raw carrot strips into the mix. Maybe it's supposed to bring texture but it mainly tasted like mediocre soup with raw vegetables in it.
The Gobi Manchurian was passable as a dish; maybe if I'd only ordered this dish, I'd walk away thinking the restaurant had been average, but even the cauliflower was somewhat soggy. I understand that being in gravy is going to render the pieces of fried vegetable somewhat moist, but there should still be some kind of "crunch" alongside the gravy. Unless, of course, you let the dish sit around for a while.
The food was somewhat spicy but the heat appeared to be derived from an excess of black pepper rather than any fresh or regional chilis. This gave the food a fairly odd taste that was overpowering and difficult to get around.
The lack of any beer or wine is not necessarily a terrible thing, but makes this place feel more like a larger version of a take out as opposed to somewhere I'd want to take people for dinner.
What makes this place, for me, a 1-star review as opposed to a 2 or even a low 3 was the service. Not only did we have to seat ourselves when we walked in, but no one bothered with us for at least five to ten minutes. I then had to ask for water or anything else that one takes for granted at any other restaurant. It's a shame, since I love Indian Chinese food and this place is only a 10-minute drive away for me. But if I really have a craving, I'll gladly make the 40-minute commute to a better restaurant instead.
WOW ... this place is amazing.. this is one of the very few places in the city which serve Indian Chinese. For people who are unfamiliar with Indian Chinese. Its Chinese food cooked in Indian style.It was originated in calcutta where few chefs with origins from china tried to make some original dishes by mixing some Indian spices.
Enough with the history. This place is too good and must try for people who enjoy spicy Indian food. The place is huge so you will mostly find a table over here. The place is good to have parties for 15-20 people. I tried most of the dishes over here and I personally like spicy food. You can always ask for tangra masala spl they make the regular dish all spicy.
This place is just outside 7 train stop .. so u won't have to walk much. I would personally recommend the chicken lollipop , veg fries, chicken manchurian and the tangra special fried rice.
Amazing! Never thought Chinese Indian food would be such an incredible mix!!!
Lollipop chicken was great! Tender chicken meat with Tangy spicey sauce to dip thechicken in..... Soooooo delish!
Tandoor chicken with 3 star spicey level ended up being 7 star spicey so be forewarned that when they do spicey they mean buisness!!! It was incredible!!!
I was literally drinking water with every bite but it was so worth it!!!
Lovely Ambiance- great for group/family events. Great Service.
Yummy Appetizers. Chicken Lollipops are recommended.
Tangra Masala is one of my fave spots in NYC! If I had a car I would be making a trip to queens just to get some Tangra in my system!
It came highly recommended from a colleague at work and I couldn't believe how genuine the Indo Chinese flavors were! For those who follow the Islamic dietary regime, this is the prefect place for you can eat without reservation, as the meat is Halal. Indo-Chinese food is one of the most popular types of foods that comes from India, which adapts Chinese seasoning and cooking/techniques to South Asian tastes. Manchurian-(a sweet and salty brown sauce) is my favorite culinary style of this cuisine.
Now to mention the most important part of Tangra is-BYOB for those who need a translation-(Bring Your own booze!) Take your favorite 6 pack of Heineken, or a nice bottle of white (reds don't go very well with Manchurian) you'll need the white to cool you down. Although our dear Indian Aunties and Uncles may give you a couple daunting stares- don't let it bother you-its a cultural thing "the staring part" that is.
The food is extremely spicy-which is how authentic Indo-Chinese food is supposed to be-so be prepared for that! But if you love flavors, and feel like getting out of the city for a change-make the extra trip-it's worth it.
This food in this place blew my socks off!!!! Literally, nothing like the fusion of chinese and indian food, delicious. Coconut milk potatoes un real!
I've lived just a 5-minute walk from this place for the past 8 months and had neglected to try it until two weeks ago. What a mistake -- this place is sooo good! Not only is the service here really friendly (the Nepalese manager-type guy was very nice to us and talked to us a bit, and our waitress was patient in describing dishes to us that we were unfamiliar with and gave us many suggestions), but the food is scrumptious.
My favorites were the lollipop chicken (go look at my photo!) and the tangra masala goat (dry). Good spiciness and great flavors in both.
Things I saw other people eating that I'd like to try in the very near future: fried dumplings, chicken momo dumplings, fried rice dishes, and their other curries.
We weren't quite sure of the locaiton and had to walk almost a mile!!..But it was definitely worth the walk...
Ambience is not all that great but for the Indo-Chinese food lover, it hardly matters...The soups and the manchurians were awesome..The DC/MD area really misses such Indo-Chinese places...and the price is also very economical...
I had the Lollypop chicken, the Goat Masala (dry) and a chicken with veggies dish which I can't remember the name of.
Everything spicey that I got was great, and everything that wasn't spicey (I have two young kids) was borderline OK. I would go back if it was just me but no way would I go back with the family.
To get it straight, you are not going for the decor or ambiance -- you are going if you love flavorful and spicy food. This is hands down the best "Indo Chinese" in NYC. It is worth the trek if you don't live close, but be prepared to wait on the mean streets of Elmhurst during peak weekend eating hours. Coming with friends is more fun, but big groups are not very practical. These dishes are made for sharing, so that's just what you'll do. The one con is that the place is quite small, so if you are a lanky long-limbed individual -- make sure you get an end seat! Stick your smaller friends in the corners.. because they will fold in better.
Manchurian, sweet corn soup, sizzling plates, lollipop chicken, hakka noodles -- can't really go wrong -- definitely let the servers know how much or how little spice you can handle and they will regulate.
Alert: Anything w/ "Tangra Masala Sauce" is HOOOOT!!
5 STAR SPICY FOOD! You can never get enough!!!! From The SOUPS, TANGRA RICE, GRAVIES!!!! This is the kinda of food that is the right kind of spicy, it leaves you wanting for more and more one spoonful after the next! LOLLIPOP CHICKEN is a MUST!!! YUMMMOOO!!! There is two location, so if you have a big crew, so the drive and EAT ALL YOU CAN! Take it home if you're full, because it gets better the next day! I really think they should start making thai tea! that whould be a great addition and whould sell out everynight! We usually do take out, unless we decide to bring a few friends along!
you'd never even think about giving this place a try because it looks so run down from the outside and when you look inside it is dark and somewhat cramped. however you soon notice that 99% of the customers are south indian, sikh, or pakistani. and then the nepalese staff come and greet you with their nepalese sweetness. so you give it a try and you never regret the choice.
pretty decent indo-chinese cooking. the owner's grandparents came from china and settled in calcutta. the food is not quite as good as i've had in bombay but very good and maybe the best you'll get in nyc.
the chicken mo mo is surprisingly great. the dumpling skin was thin and the fixings were juicy. the chicken lollipop was basically a chicken pakora, i'm not crazy about pakora, baji, or any variant so its best not to ask me how i liked these lollipops. the tangra masala goat is tops tops tops but you gotta get it dry, beware it is hot but if you order mild it doesn't taste the same. manchurian shrimp is decent. chicken chili is pretty good. you can try these with gravy but i prefer them dry.
you are better off taking a subway here because parking is absolute hell anywhere near queens blvd. the subway lets you off right on the corner.
This place is your epitome for hole-in-the-wall quality Indian Chinese food. Note the order of the wording: Indian Chinese - this means Chinese food cooked with Indian flavoring.
Be prepared for spicy food. I'm sure that you can request that your food be prepared bland or mild, but then what's the point? Highly recommended dish here: the crispy fried chicken appetizer - the outside is deliciously crispy, but the meat remains juicy and tender. It's served with a great mildly spicy dipping sauce. Yum! Many dishes offer an option of "dry" or "wet" food, basically meaning with or without sauce. This was a huge plus for our coworker that strongly prefers his food not dripping with sauce.
When we were here, the service was friendly and prompt. We were probably one of two tables, so all we ever had to do was raise our hands and a waiter would stop by.
The only down side to the place (especially during the summer, I can imagine) is that there's not much in the way of climate control. One of my coworkers that joined us for dinner is pretty sensitive to the heat, and he was really uncomfortable because the A/C units the place had going weren't really keeping the place cool. Like I said, it's a hole-in-the-wall; some things you just have to accept.
At any rate, while the ambiance really has nothing going for it, I can wholeheartedly say that the food is totally worth it. Tangra Masala gets my foodie stamp of approval.
everyone here is right about the lollipop chicken - it is amazing! perfect crispness, well seasoned, and comes with a nice, slightly sweet, creamy, spicy sauce. the creaminess compliments the spiciness perfectly. we also got the tangra masala goat (dry), which was nice and tender, and very well spiced. it had a very pungent chili, garlic, and ginger paste. weh also got the vegetable manchurian, which was basically veggie fritters (chopped up veggies mixed with flour and fried) in a sauce with chopped up chinese veggies (seemed like bok choy). the bits of bok choy in the sauce was refreshing as a contrast to the fritters.
the service is very friendly too, and the prices are pretty reasonable 8-12 for entrees. will definitely come back here.
Two words. Lollipop chicken. Delicious!
I also like the veggie pakora. And I get the crab and corn soup everytime I go there. It never disappoints.
The noodles are good. The seafood pan friend noodles come out a little bit crispy with lots of veggies and shrimp and this great sauce. Ask about it. I also love the sweet and sour fish, which is a largely ignored and under appreciated dish.
The seating is TIGHT. I mean, you're basically just sitting there eatting with strangers because everybody is packed in there so closely. But, it doesn't bother me because the food is so good.
"Indian-Style Chinese" are the two (three?) best words in the entire language of Asian cuisine, and this is a fine place to get it. Do it right -- lots of dishes, with some time and water between them -- and you will stumble down to the subway (hardcore Queens-local IND, across the street from the entrance) in a spiced-out bliss.
The one and only destination for Indian-style Chinese food as far as I'm concerned. I've been to several other places in Queens and Manhattan and none come close. It's all about spicy food here, but even if you can't handle the heat they can make most any dish mild and it's just as good.
If you try Indian-Chinese only once, make sure it's Tangra Masala.
Indian/Chinese cuisine.
In Queens. A friend recommended this place, because I had been hearing about alot of Indian/Chinese places and I had to try one out. The food here tastes great. Ordered the Chilli Chicken, Chicken Tangra Masala Fried Rice and Tangra Masala Tiger Prawn. All the food was flavorful and cooked well. The curry sauce was very good. You should come here and order the Lollypop Chicken as an appetizer, tastes great!
Restaurant is kinda small, and at peak times can get pretty busy.
What a strange yet surprisingly delicious experience.
I love Chinese food, and yet there is something disorienting (pun intended) about the food being cooked Indian style. I was skeptical at first, as I am whenever I walk into a fusion restaurant, but I walked out believing that Tangra Masala is not your typical trendy Asian fusion joint. It's actually good!
I don't like most Asian fusion restaurants because 1) they are trendy, 2) the portions are small, and 3) the prices are high. This place is none of the above. Good prices, hole in the wall (as my fellow Yelpers have said), and the portions are not bad especially if you're doing it family style. I love the spicy food - so good it brought a tear to my eye. One thing I wish this place had is Mango Lassi, but I suppose they're keeping true to Chinese food cooked Indian style.
What I recommend: the Lollipop Chicken, and anything Tangra Masala. Be prepared to drink lots of water.
Fantastic food, only problem is no alcohol policy (none served, none allowed).
I would not recommend the lollipop chicken, but everything else was solid and delicious.
Don't know how this ranks with other Indo Chinese places nationally or internationally, but its the best in NYC , for sure. There are some places in Curry Alley, but they don't compare. Lollipop chicken is brillo, and I prefer the dry chicken and beef dishes to the sauced items. Worthrth the trip to the boonies.
I LOVE SPICY FOOD! Tangra Masala fills the need I have for that spicy food. We're not talking "buffalo wing" spicy, we're talking full on bird pepper spicy. This place has the best best best best Hot and Sour Soup anywhere ever. It comes vegetarian or with chicken, choose the vegetarian. The soup is spicy as heck and is loaded with cilantro. Mmmmmmm. Lollipop chicken and the Chicken Momo (dumplings) are good as well. Just be prepared to be crowded sweaty and in culinary heaven.
the lollipop chicken is yumm...everything else I think is good for the fact that its rare to get good indo-chinese in new york but when compared to the other places in the world serving this amazing cuisine I would say its okay. I would not recommend getting your food "spicy" as then it ends up being just filled with chillies and not really having that balanced sweet-spicy-tangy flavor that makes indo chinese so great. Its a good place to go for a saturday lunch as its also not too far of a walk from the queens mall and target, also rare things in nyc.
Standing in line one day waiting for my # 58 bus, I notice this restaurant right across and it says, Tanga Masala, Chinese, Indian cuisine. Saw a bunch of Indian and Chinese people going in and out so I checked the place out that weekend w/ my daughter and we've been patrons ever since. The place was small but they have a bigger branch in Sunnyside if you have a big crowd. This place is great. The food was to die for. We ordered the goat curry, Beef Masala, Lollipop chicken and shrimp Noodle. It is really a fusion of Chinese and Indian cuisine. Very tasty. Been there a few times, dined and take out, then brought my son Ron who now goes there frequently with friends. Took my Mom too and my sister. I am glad we have this gem of a place right next to us.I
This place is way better than Indo Munch or Chinese Mirch in Manhattan. That said, it took us an HOUR AND A HALF to get there from Midtown! Nothing is worth that trip. I guess something was up with the trains, we literally waited half an hour on the platform in Midtown! It was a great meal, though, from food to service. And it was so spicy! Everyone, myself included, was sweating and sniffling; that's a serious (but great) sign of spiciness! Queens looked, well, about like I expected it to look, not a neighborhood for exploring, but it was interesting. I think next time I'd just go to IndoMunch when craving Indo Chinese, because it just took way too long to get to Queens. But if you're in the neighborhood, it's a definite must.
This place is a pleasant surprise and not what I had expected. The fusion of Chinese and Indian culture introduced a new taste that I deeply enjoyed. The decor was pleasing and so was the wait staff. The food was delicious, especially the pakora. The spicy factor was done right, not so much so that I had difficulty enjoying the meal but with a nice kick to finish off a bite. A definite must go to enjoy a different culinary fusion that differentiates itself from the modern fusion that we all love to hate.
Before I begin, I really do think the food here is good. The three stars is because the food as a whole ends up being kind of repetitive and heavy. The lollipop chicken appetizer is a must and everyone that was at the restaurant while I was there got it. The menu is comprised of kind of Americanized Chinese dishes cooked in sauces with Indian spices and served up in the sort of stew-y manner that you come to expect from saag or vindaloo at Indian places. One really interesting dish was a paneer dish which had the paneer cut into blocks and cooked in a sauce similar to the way you'd do ma po to fu.
Check out Dan H.'s review for the scoring because I completely agree. Lollypop chicken was really good. Next time I go I'll probably check out a fried rice dish and try to vary dishes as sauces did become repetitive in our large group.
Awesome Food, amazing service(used to be with waiters from when it opened), I just love This place, awesome....
First time I ever had Indian Chinese food was here. I remember that day well... I was jerked out of bed early one Sunday morning to join my bf & his roomies for lunch. For the majority of the train ride I was sleepy, cranky, and silently cursing these crazy people for dragging me out of bed. To voluntarily take the PATH from NJ into Manhattan and then switch over to another hour long train ride to eat in the middle of nowhere?! On a weekend!? That's absurd! But I had one bite of culinary goodness that is Tangra Masala and have never looked back. To this day I thank these crazy people for introducing me to Indo-Chinese food. No other place can compare (i.e. yucky Chinese Mirch)!!! Twice I've traveled to eat here, once while it was SNOWSTORMING. Food is that good. If this restaurant wasn't located so far out, I'd frequent it more often. But then again, if this place ever becomes popularized, prices will go up, staff will get jaded, food will be watered down, and the CHILI CHICKEN I love will be no more. :(
So moral of the story; you want good food? Get your lazy asses to Elmhurst.
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