Catskills Gas Station Serves Must-Try Indian Food
Indian restaurants in the Catskills are few and far between. So, when I saw a sign advertising Indian food in the window of a gas station called Tamanna in Cairo, I was very intrigued.
Now, Tamanna is a particularly cute gas station, with arched columns holding up a roof over the gas pumps. There are blue Christmas lights strung from the windows of its mini-mart, which looks basic at first glance—a wall of drink fridges, plenty of chips, but hey… what’s that in the corner?
Oh, it’s just a shrine to Tiger Woods. In the corner of a gas station mini-mart. That sells Indian food. On a sleepy main street in the Catskills.
Just the kinda thing I live for.
The sign in the front window says “Advance order for Friday pick up $12,” but when I went midweek to place my order, the gas station clerk (who was definitely not Indian and not the person who makes the food) told me that he had some ready down in the refrigerator and went to go fetch me a plate.
I paid my $12 and didn’t ask to many questions, as I’m a little bit of an Indian food snob and to be honest, I wasn’t sure how this was gonna go. (Also, am I the only one who thinks about The Mentalist, every time I see a hand-drawn smiley face?)
The cashier offered to warm up my plate for me, but I took it home cold so I could eat it for dinner. Reheated rice dishes can get weird. My expectations were pretty low.
But you know what? The jasmine rice was delicate and buttery. The saag (that is, the greens), were melted down to a deep creaminess with layers of spice and flavor. The chicken was tender and hotter than I expected, redolent of cumin, coriander, turmeric and chili. The naan was tasty and chewy. Its irregular bubbles and charred edges implied that it was freshly homemade.
The verdict? This place is legit!
I’ve got to go back and see if I can meet the cook, but if you have any further Tamanna info you’d like to share (or if you have some intel on other Indian spots or other hidden gems nearby), you can always email me at info@brooklyndoublewide.com or drop a tip in the comments!
Citgo-Tamanna is located at 441 Main St, Cairo, NY; (518) 622-2297
