Ballantyne Magazine

WINTER 2011

Ballantyne Magazine covers news, events, real estate, restaurants, shopping, health, schools and business in the upscale Ballantyne Area of Charlotte, NC.

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entertains a healthy number of people who are curious about Indian dishes but aren't sure where to start. His servers often start customers off with a Taste Platter, found in the appetizer section of the restaurant's extensive menu. Customers can sample vegetarian options or meat selections consisting of Tandoori Prawns, Chicken Tikka and Lamb Kabobs. All sauces at The Blue Taj are made from scratch. Meats are seasoned with blends of spices created by the kitchen staff, a nuance that turns newcomers into regulars, Pannu says. "Indian food is not hard to cook at home," he notes. "It just requires a lot of time. There's just a lot of preparation. To make one dish, you have to have so many ingredients and sauces. It's time consuming, as opposed to being an art." Kerala Seafood, Frontier Chops When singling out a can't-miss dish from his menu, Pannu highlights two choices of which he's incredibly proud: the Frontier Lamb Chops and the Kerala Style Seafood. The latter is a seafood dish cooked in tamarind and a coconut sauce. Tamarind, for Indian food novices, is a fruit known for its giant seed that comes with a sweet and sour flavor. The menu selection "gives you three NEW LOCATION different types of seafood in one dish: the fish, the scallops and the shrimp," Pannu explains. "And its sauce has traces of mustard and Cayenne pepper." As for the lamb chops, Pannu says they are unique because the spice blend used to flavor the meat — which is marinated in homemade sauces for 10 to 15 hours — would be tough to replicate outside of The Blue Taj. "It's going to be time-consuming if you try to duplicate it at home," he says with a chuckle. And while he's combating misconceptions about Indian food, Pannu reminds patrons at The Blue Taj not to forget that perfect glass of wine. "Most people don't think The Blue Taj is Pannu's second Indian restaurant in the Charlotte market. He has also operated Copper on East Boulevard in Dilworth since 2005. urologyspecialistsnc.com Well-Known. Well-Respected. Urology Specialists of the Carolinas was formed a decade ago when our region's two oldest and largest urology groups combined to create one exceptional patient- centered practice. Today, with eight area offices and a team of 12 board-certified urologists and support staff, we continue to grow, innovate and earn the trust and respect of new patients and the local medical community. Wil Brooks, Agent 12610 N. Community House Rd. Suite 102 B Charlotte, NC 28277 wil@wilbrooks.com * * (% . '% " ) $''%"& *'& 704.542.0825 WINTER 2011-2012 PINEVILLE 704-541-8207 CONCORD 704-707-2200 UNIVERSITY 704-547-1495 Ballantyne Location Nicholas J. Fitzsimons, MD MATTHEWS 704-841-8877 HUNTERSVILLE 704-892-2949 BALLANTYNE 704-334-4824 CHARLOTTE Queens Rd 704-372-5180 E Third St 704-370-2076 BALLANTYNE MAGAZINE 57

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