By Brennan Keifer
Elm Staff Writer
Chestertown welcomes the opening of Aroma, a new Indian restaurant found on 6520 Church Hill Road. Chestertown has a variety of restaurants and cafes scattered throughout its quiet streets; however, Aroma is Chestertown’s first Indian specialty restaurant, adding a flavorful diversity to the town’s dining scene.
For such a small restaurant, Aroma has a surprisingly large menu that is filled to the brim with traditional Indo-Chinese recipes. The ingredients used in their dishes are locally sourced, helping to support the local economy. Even the spices used at Aroma are “hand-picked, dried and grounded by [their] Chef.”
Aroma’s dishes are reasonably priced with appetizers ranging from $5-$7 and entrees ranging from $10-$16. Appetizers include falafel, samosas, tandoori mushrooms, and more. They offer a multitude of entrées that cater to all tastes, including vegetarian options. Many entrees are even prepared in a traditional Tandoori clay oven. The spicy chicken curry is perfect on a cold winter night, and the freshly baked naan is not to be missed. And, if you don’t have a way of getting to Aroma, they deliver right to your door.
If anything is lacking at Aroma, however, it’s the atmosphere. Aside from a few paintings, the walls are bare and empty. The lights cast a pale yellow-green hue around the room, creating relatively unappealing lighting. Aroma is not a place that you could sit down and feel at home in; it’s far from being comfortable. If you didn’t know about Aroma’s delicious food, you might mistake it for an old carry-out pizza place based on appearance alone.
What Aroma lacks in atmosphere and ambiance, it makes up for in its great tasting food and the kindness and care of the owners. The owners were welcoming and attentive, not once did it feel as though they had forgotten about their customers’ needs. Each new customer was greeted with a smile and anyone leaving was sent away with a warm farewell.
If you’re getting tired of going to the same cafes and restaurants around Chestertown, then grab some friends and try Aroma. The menu is large and offers something for everyone. The food is delicious, the ingredients are fresh and the prices are reasonable for any college student on a budget. Because of the lackluster ambiance, take-out or delivery would be recommended. But, if you have the time to sit and eat in the restaurant, the attention of the owners will not disappoint you.
Go to Café Sado if you’re looking for moody lighting and atmosphere, go to Play it Again Sam’s for a quick coffee and lunch with a friend; but, if you want great food that’s unlike anything else in Chestertown, Aroma should not be overlooked.