Foody Frenzy-Week 12-Purnima Bangladeshi Cuisine
Nothing says “Happy Holidays” like food from Bangladesh! Well, maybe not so much, but it was for The Aha! Connection staff holiday party! In true thoughtful Audra fashion, she wanted to get the group together for some lively holiday cheer. Leigh (who came in from Birmingham), The Aha! unnamed Style Moment Editor, Audra and I thoroughly enjoyed having the opportunity to have an evening of lots of laughter, satisfied bellies and relaxed feet! Unfortunately, crazy schedules stood in the way of the rest of the crew joining us.
Since Audra and I usually go for a Frenzy lunch, I was able to zero in on a restaurant on my short list that is only open for dinner. My first choice was Sushi House Hayakawa until I realized that Audra and Leigh aren’t sushi fans. Probably not a good choice for non-raw fish lovers. Next on my list was Purnima, a small Bangladesh restaurant that opened in early 2014. They supposedly serve a very good lunch buffet, but a dinner outing seemed a better choice since I had some particular dishes that I wanted the group to try.
Purnima is located on BH, next to the CDC at the end of a small strip center. We were very cordially greeted by our server, Ali, and seated right away since we had reservations. There were only three other groups in the restaurant, so they actually probably thought it was hilarious that we made a reservation! We asked to see the wine list only to learn that they don’t have a license yet to serve any alcoholic beverages. That’s actually a good thing as long as you know it in advance because they do not charge a corkage fee and you can BYOB! What a nice surprise! After ordering our appetizers, Audra and I made a short detour to a couple of close by stores that Ali recommended where we could grab a bottle of wine. That quick outing had enough material to warrant its own article, but I won’t digress! When we returned, our appetizers and Kirkland brand bottled water were awaiting. We got so tickled with the waters ala Costco but quickly redirected our focus to the absolutely mouth-watering Vegetable Shingara and Coconut Soup that we ordered to share. Shingara is a stuffed pastry consisting of spiced potatoes, onions, peas, coriander and lentils. It is a very popular snack food in Southwest Asia and now I know why! It was served with a tasty chutney sauce that we devoured. We all agreed that the Coconut soup popped with delicious freshness and tasted slightly sweeter than a Thai Coconut soup that everyone is probably more familiar flavor-wise.
For entrees, we ordered Chicken Vindaloo, Shrimp Tikka Masala and Quail Korma. I sought this restaurant out for the Vindaloo, which is a fiery and spicy curry dish that I originally fell in love with when I lived in Savannah years ago. I’ve never found a restaurant since that could master the perfect balance of heat and flavor of Pork Vindaloo like Bistro Savannah could.
We ordered Chicken Vindaloo, traditional style, which Ali was glad we specified because he admitted that they would have toned it down otherwise. At one point, I looked at Leigh and could have sworn she was crying. If we had not been having such a good time, it might have worried me. I absolutely LOVED the Vindaloo, but Audra, the Style Moment Editor and Leigh all agreed it was a tad too hot for them. Unless you like extreme heat, ask for a milder version of this delicious dish, but make sure you try it out!
Tikka Masala is a creamy, spiced orange-coloured dish perfectly paired with the plump, fresh shrimp that Ali recommended. The Quail was braised in a rich, creamy, mildly spiced sauce that was very exotic tasting. All of the dishes were served with rice and garlic Naan, which were essential tools for assisting in sopping up all of the divine sauces. Ali kept a very watchful eye on us and was quick to ensure we had generous amounts of both the Naan and Rice as we blazed through both.
Although we thoroughly enjoyed everything we ordered, the overall crowd favorite was the Shrimp Tikka Masala. So much so that when I talked to Audra the next morning, she was already craving more!
Although Purnima was the perfect place for us girls, you would probably be disappointed if you went for a romantic date night because of the ambiance, or lack there of. With that being said, I have decided to revamp our grading system. We will now give a separate rating for food, service and ambiance to ensure more consistent expectations.
Purnima would be “da bomb” for take-out too! They have a big to-go business!
Many thanks to Audra for a great holiday celebration!
Ratings Audra Patty
Food 4 5.0!
Service 4 4.5!
Ambiance 2 2.0!
I wish all of our wonderful Aha! family a joyful, relaxing, food-filled holiday season!
Until we eat again!
Salud!
Purnima Bangladeshi Cuisine
4646 Buford Highway
Chamblee, GA 30341
770.609.8587
Health Rating: 85
Disclaimer: This is not a paid advertisement. The restaurant owners are unaware of this article at time of publication.
Foodie Frenzy Week 1 (El Rey del Taco)
Foodie Frenzy Week 2 (Han IL Kwan)
Foodie Frenzy Week 3 (Nam Phoung II)
Foodie Frenzy Week 4 (Gu’s Bistro)
Foodie Frenzy Week 5 (Casa Vieja)
Foodie Frenzy Week 6 (Canton House)
Foodie Frenzy Week 7 (Pho Dai Loi #2)
Foodie Frenzy Week 8 (Bo Bo Garden)
Foodie Frenzy Week 9 (Desta Ethiopian Cuisine)
Foodie Frenzy Week 10 (The Sweet Hut Bakery & Cafe)
Foodie Frenzy Week 11 (Woo Nam Jeong Korean Stone Bowl House)
Contact:
Purnima Banglasdeshi Cuisine
770-609-8587