Memory is a tricky thing: what one remembers as absolutely true and without question is often disputed by another person who claims that their memory is the accurate one and that you’ve got it all wrong.
A lengthy discussion follows about what actually happened, and each person walks away thinking, “Gee, it’s so sad to see whatizname losing it like that.” Even sadder is when one realizes there’s no one left to ask who might remember the exact thing you’re talking about.
And so it is with the corner of Placer and California Streets. Circa 1960, Femme de Joie remembers the Griffin Club on the corner now taken up by a two-level parking lot.
Catty-corner from it where the now-closed Vintner’s Cellars sits was a garage or gas station/garage. But she might have that entirely wrong and if anyone remembers, kindly set her straight.
What M. de Joie does remember for certain is that Redding wasn’t known for its restaurants. Jack’s, Ramona’s, Lim’s, Doc Clearie’s Skyroom, Tubby and Ann’s, and a host of lesser-known cafes that came and went. Say what you will about the state of downtown now, the state of dining in Redding has expanded in ways no one 50+ years ago could have foreseen.
Just a few feet from Placer/California in the space most recently vacated by Fuji is Yaadgar Restaurant. High ceilings, wide windows, and an attractive buttermilk paint make the dining room seem spacious and airy. Run by the Hussein family for just over a year, Yaadgar got off to a slow start but seems to be picking up in popularity rapidly.
Naan ($1.50) is as much a staple of Indian food as tortillas are to Mexican food. Often cooked to toughness or scorched, these were light and tender, buttery-soft and airy, definitely the best we’ve tasted in Redding.
Eggplant Bharta, $8.99
One thing you might notice right away about Indian food: it often looks actively unattractive, and this eggplant mash is a good example of that. A few slivers of raw ginger and some cilantro leaves strewn about didn’t help much. But the taste was amazing – a smooth, creamy puree of smoky roasted aubergine with cumin and garam masala that will in no way remind you of soggy fried eggplant. A winner.
Lamb biryani, $10.99
If Femme de Joie hadn’t tasted the lamb biryani at another Redding restaurant a few months ago, she probably would have thought Yaadgar’s version to be very good, but it just didn’t have the same sparkle and intricacy of spice and herb mixtures. The basmati rice was cooked perfectly and there were chunks of lamb throughout, but it just didn’t have that Zsa Zsa Zu.
Raita, $1.99
Raita (yogurt with spices and cucumbers) – is more than the sum of those ingredients, a tempering to excess spice and a palate cleanser when your taste buds are overwhelmed. But it’s also delicious on its own as a kind of soupy salad.
When we ordered dinner, we were confused by small plates – small as in approximately 6-inch – set before us. We were unsure if we were meant to put the naan on them, or share/mix foods with the naan, which is what we wound up doing, but the small size made maneuvering awkward.
Sweet lassi, $1.99
While the mango lassi is probably more popular, this mixture of plain yogurt and sugar served over ice is a simpler version that is just as delicious and useful to sooth too much heat in your mouth. Femme de Joie thinks this might be attractive to an adventurous child as well.
Lunch special: lamb curry, chicken curry, zeera rice, naan, $9.99
Yaadgar’s lunch specials are a good value and allow a timid diner the chance to taste Indian food and see if they like it. Femme de Joie did like this special very much – the lamb curry was plentiful as well as bolder and smokier than the relatively mild chicken. Zeera rice (basmati rice cooked with cumin seeds) isn’t spicy-hot, just flavorful enough to stand up to curries.
Lunch special: chicken kofta, channa masala, zeera rice, $9.99
Chicken kofta is essentially chicken meatballs, very soft and mild in a likewise mild sauce that won’t scare off curryphobes, though a bit short on actual meatballs. Channa masala – garbanzos in a very mild sauce – is one of those dishes M. de Joie has never been able to work up any enthusiasm for, no matter who prepares it, so she can’t say if it was good or bad. It tasted like all the other versions she’s had, starchy and bland. Maybe that’s how it’s supposed to be, in which case she won’t ever need to try it again.
Veggie pakoras ($3.99), broccoli and cauliflower bites coated in chick-pea (garbanzo) flour and deep fried. M. de Joie much preferred the cauliflower, which is enhanced by this treatment. Stronger broccoli doesn’t seem to benefit as much and indeed tasted a little bitter. They came with two chutneys in squeeze bottles, a lusciously thick, tart purple tamarind and a very watery green herb chutney that didn’t have much going for it.
Overall, Yaadgar’s cooking is consistent, nongreasy, and carefully spiced, with service that is courteous but a bit indifferent (not that M. de Joie believes customers need to be besties with waitstaff). This is the third Indian restaurant to open concurrently in Redding. Is that oversaturation of a market? Even ten years ago, Femme de Joie wouldn’t have believed Redding would support more than one, but as spread out as the three are, perhaps there’s room for all. Each is a little different and will surely have different fan clubs.
Yaadgar – Urdu for “memory” – replaces that old garage of the 1950s and 60s in a much more stylish way. Its presence is a hopeful sign of the continued revitalization of downtown.
Yaadgar Restaurant, 1545 Placer Street, Redding, CA 96001. 530-242-1545. Open Tuesday through Sunday, 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM for lunch, 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM for dinner. Closed Monday. Cards, cash; no checks. Free chai tea with meal orders. Vegetarian, vegan, and Halal options available. Street parking or parking lot at California and Placer. Website at Indian & Pakistani Food | Redding, CA | Yaadgar Restaurant or follow them on Facebook.
Femme de Joie’s first culinary masterpiece was at age 4, when she made the perfect fried bologna sandwich on white bread. Since then she has dined on horse Bourguignon in France, stir-fried eel in London, and mystery meat in her college cafeteria, but firmly draws the line at eating rattlesnake, peppermint and Hamburger Helper. She lives in Shasta County at her country estate, Butterscotch Acres West. She is nearly always hungry. Visit MenuPlease for more or send her an email at femmedejoiefood@yahoo.com.
A News Cafe, founded in Shasta County by Redding, CA journalist Doni Chamberlain, is the place for people craving local Northern California news, commentary, food, arts and entertainment. Views and opinions expressed here are not necessarily those of anewscafe.com
