THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED Anil's Maharaja Lounge

THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED Anil's Maharaja Lounge Restaurant Review:

Book a passage to India at this jewel along Santa Rosa’s modest Fourth Street scene. A cup of velvety mulligatawny soup hypnotizes, worth coveting despite its only bling, a wedge of lime. The menu discourages comfort zones, romancing dishes like saffron and almond curried chicken topped with scrambled egg, or catfish bathed in onion-tomato gravy tempered with mustard seeds. Vindaloos and other usual suspects, underplayed on the menu, nonetheless merit ordering. Spicy means spicy---not intended to ambush, but to tease out flavor. Eager-to-please servers buzz about with tiny pots of soft lamb stews and sizzling chicken, de-stemmed from yard-long skewers. Pounded lamb, perfumed with cardamom, peeks from pockets of naan, crisped on the walls of the tandoor oven. The menu highlights suggested wine pairings for each course, from soup to curry; many come by the glass, including several varietals from India.