At Sandy’s Royal India restaurant (there’s another location in Bountiful), owner/chef Emmanuel Shanthakumar and his family cook up a dazzling array of authentic Indian dishes from the south and north of India, all in this beautifully appointed restaurant. What distinguishes a good Indian restaurant from a great one largely has to do with the little things: décor, specialty dishes, breads, service. It’s those types of considerations that have made Royal India one of my two favorite Indian restaurants in Utah. The warm hospitality at Royal India matches the fiery vindaloo dishes, but not all of Royal India’s fare is incendiary. Shrimp saag is rich and creamy, keema dosa is stuffed with fragrantly spiced lamb and the Peshwari naan (filled with cashews, raisins, and coconut) is heaven. Vegetarian options also abound at Royal India, and the daal Maharani is especially good. For dessert, you must try kulfi: homemade ice cream with pistachio, cashew nuts and cardamom. The sweet lassi drink is very refreshing and there’s also beer and wine available.
