A friend of ours said they were taking us to an Indian restaurant, and I when we pulled up out front, we were somewhat skeptical. The unassuming restaurant is located in the far corner of what looks like to be a family-oriented shopping plaza. From the outside, we could see there was hardly anybody in the place, and nobody was sitting outside in the chairs. However, what Tranna lacks in first appearances, it makes up for in delicious cuisine.
We were greeted by a friendly host who showed us to our tables as soon as he noticed we were coming towards the door. The inside is actually quite modern, and definitely not a hole in the wall. There is funky wallpaper, big red booths and an overall hip vibe. But despite that, pretty much everybody inside was a senior citizen — maybe it’s the location?
Before we could even order, we were given complimentary pappadams along with several sauces to try out. Our friend who had already been there before told us to try one particular sauce, but he had actually tricked us into trying a spicy lemon sauce. I’m not sure if people actually like it, or if it’s just served to trick people like us.
The restaurant specializes in Punjabi cuisine, and for mains we shared three dishes, the chicken makhnie, the aloo gobi matar (cauliflower, potato and peas) and the paneer palak. Everything was super, and the chef definitely didn’t hold back on seasonings or level of heat. The gigantic bowl of basmati rice that came out with it was rather perfect, as was the butter naan and roti, both large enough to feed a family of four.
Service was quick and cordial the entire time, and while it isn’t super fancy, it is one of the best Indian places I’ve tried in South Africa, or anywhere for that matter. My only complaint is that I left as stuffed as at turkey, but that’s my own fault.
Expert Review
A friend of ours said they were taking us to an Indian restaurant, and I when we pulled up out...
A friend of ours said they were taking us to an Indian restaurant, and I when we pulled up out front, we were somewhat skeptical. The unassuming restaurant is located in the far corner of what looks like to be a family-oriented shopping plaza. From the outside, we could see there was hardly anybody in the place, and nobody was sitting outside in the chairs. However, what Tranna lacks in first appearances, it makes up for in delicious cuisine.
We were greeted by a friendly host who showed us to our tables as soon as he noticed we were coming towards the door. The inside is actually quite modern, and definitely not a hole in the wall. There is funky wallpaper, big red booths and an overall hip vibe. But despite that, pretty much everybody inside was a senior citizen — maybe it’s the location?
Before we could even order, we were given complimentary pappadams along with several sauces to try out. Our friend who had already been there before told us to try one particular sauce, but he had actually tricked us into trying a spicy lemon sauce. I’m not sure if people actually like it, or if it’s just served to trick people like us.
The restaurant specializes in Punjabi cuisine, and for mains we shared three dishes, the chicken makhnie, the aloo gobi matar (cauliflower, potato and peas) and the paneer palak. Everything was super, and the chef definitely didn’t hold back on seasonings or level of heat. The gigantic bowl of basmati rice that came out with it was rather perfect, as was the butter naan and roti, both large enough to feed a family of four.
Service was quick and cordial the entire time, and while it isn’t super fancy, it is one of the best Indian places I’ve tried in South Africa, or anywhere for that matter. My only complaint is that I left as stuffed as at turkey, but that’s my own fault.