Aangan West Footscray

When Sumit Malhotra opened the first Aangan restaurant in Barkly Village back in 2004, it was a small takeaway joint with just two tables, four chairs, and two staff. Today, Aangan employs 150 people and is a chain with seven restaurants throughout Melbourne and regional Victoria. This location seats 120.

Aangan, which means “patio” in Urdu, offers an expansive menu covering northern and southern Indian dishes as well as several from the Indochinese Peninsula (such as chilli gobhi and paneer Manchurian). There’s an abundance of curries, biryanis, tandoori kebabs, and dosas with tasty fillings such as paneer and chilli cheese.

Don’t feel bad about ordering the best-selling butter chicken – even Malhotra agrees that it’s one of the best dishes on the menu. He says the secret is simmering the tender pieces of chicken, which have been marinated overnight, in a silky tomato sauce with fresh garlic and blanched tomatoes.

There are many vegetarian options but the highlight is the dal makhani: black lentils sauteed with tomatoes, onions, and spices, and simmered in a smooth sauce. This dish requires nearly two days preparation, but you can’t argue with the result.

The drinks menu covers the basics but not much else, listing soft drinks, lassis, Jacobs Creek wines and a handful of crisp lagers. The good news? Aangan is BYO for wine, with a small corkage charge.

The covered patio area in the back can be rented out for functions, and Aangan also offers catering platters for events.