The Indian Wraps Place

I ventured to Gaithersburg on Thursday with Radhai R. (friend since 1989 when we met at Bells Mill Elementary School) and her husband, Akhil R. These names could sound familiar since you may have viewed the photos from their BEAUTIFUL wedding last June (happy one year anniversary!) or heard me talk about how fun it was to attend and photograph such an amazing day. (I have been recently debating if things like the Radhai and Akhil wedding, that occurred BEFORE W and CP was even a twinkle in our eyes, are worthy of retroactive blog posts but that is a conversation for another day). Our outing on Thursday was not a photo viewing date or even an opportunity to swap updates on high school friends (although this did occur), it was an adventure to what Radhai and Akhil promised would be the best and most authentic South Indian food in the DC metro area. As soon as Radhai described this restaurant ("it is like a wrap filled with lamb or potatoes and the place is really far away and it is not pretty inside") I knew we needed to make a trip. And thus our adventure to the Indian Wraps Place began...

I took the metro to Shady Grove (yes, this happened) and met Radhi and Akhil for the short drive to Minerva. Located in a strip mall on Fredrick Road (16240 Frederick Road to be exact), Minerva feels very different from most of the District's "upscale" Indian food destinations. We discussed what each of us would order in the car since I was warned that the service was terrible (which it was) and in an effort to be done in under two hours, this was how we had to play it. As soon as we sat down, we placed orders for two masala dosas (and I insisted on a mango lassi). Several flat screen TVs adorned the otherwise simple restaurant setting. We lost Akhil for part of the conversation as he was engrossed in the cricket games being shown.

Then the dosas arrived and I realized that describing them as "indian wraps" didn't do justice to these delicious creations. They didn't fit on the plates we were eating from. They were huge--but not huge in a Cheesecake Factory way, more huge in a way you could tell they were made in gigantic pans and a small amount of batter was spread out REALLY thinly to create a savory, crunchy crepe. Mine was filled with potatoes and Akhil ordered one filled with lamb (which was delicious but a smidge too spicy for little ol' Wild and Crazy Pearl).

In addition to the delicious dosas we ate, I also got the chance to hear about Radhai and Akhil's big move to Brooklyn (happening in a mere two weeks)! They promised they would research the best Indian places near their new apartment and we would dine on doasas and more next time I was in NYC. So, stay tuned for future posts about Indian food outings and in the meantime, get yourself to Minerva to experience this Indian food nirvana.