Honestly, who goes to a nondescript South Portland strip mall seeking enchantment, stunning decor, a vivacious vibe, and artisanal global dining? Lots of people, it turns out.
On almost any given weeknight, the new incarnation of Taj, tucked in next to (yes) an Urban Air and Axe Pit, sees every single one of its 73 seats filled with an unusually boisterous, diverse, and interactive swath of humanity. Boomer couples on dates, big intergenerational families, and a cross-section of ethnicities all find themselves talking to one another over their tables.
And one underlying subset seems to always be here: Those who got hooked on the food, familiar with the previous incarnation of Taj (a welcoming but aging spot that sat roughly 100 feet away). That means Indian dishes spotlighting pure flavors and meticulous preparations, made by the owner’s mom and dad, who travel to India several times a year to bring back the raw, pesticide-free spices that ignite each dish.
And now, with these new digs, there’s a space that does justice to the rarified nature of that menu. “It’s been my dream to build an affordable place with a high-end feel,” says owner Sai Guntaka, who started the original Taj with his parents 12 years ago. “I want our diners to be able to have really excellent entrees for $15 in a beautiful place.”
And beautiful it is: The interior by Woodhull mixes an ornate bronze ceiling and dreamy uplighting with an opulent, green-tiled bar (cardamom martinis, anyone?) and a gleaming new kitchen by Optimum Construction. The latter churns out specialties that are by turns well-known (creamy tikka masalas and pillowy, garlic-stuffed naan) and rarely found in these parts, since they’re labor-intensive. That means handmade dosas for which lentils are carefully fermented (“My dad is the dosa pro,” says Sai) and panipuri—crunchy and feather-light spherical shells that diners stuff with various fillings and mint-infused water before downing them whole.
“We’ve seen people become friends dining here over the years,” Sai says with obvious pride. “And since we first opened, we’ve watched families of regulars grow and evolve.” Now, at long last, they have a restaurant that’s evolved with them.
