Jackson Diner - Worth the Trip?

Jackson Diner, 37-47 74th Street, Jackson Heights, NY.

Is it worth it to take 3 subway trains to Queens just for dinner?  On a lazy Saturday in May, the journey began around 5 p.m. and ended a little after 6 p.m.  Thanks to the MTA and its bewildering, but necessary (?) service interruptions and changes.

Upon seating, customers are given a huge pitcher of ice water and a dish of Papad (crisp lentil wafers) with two dipping sauces.  Remembering how filling Indian food can be, we nibbled only sparingly on the Papad.  The first thing ordered was the requisite Kingfisher beer. The meal started with an appetizer special, Uttapaums (?), a lentil pancake with sauteed veggies.  These were served with two dipping sauces--a yogurt based coconut, pale green sauce and a thin brown sauce with little flavor.

The main course included Goat Curry and Sag Paneer.  Since no Indian meal is complete without bread, after much deliberation the Onion Kulcha was selected. The Sag Paneer was served with Dal and Cucumber Raita, a clear indication that the dish they accompanied was going to be spicy hot, and it was.  The Goat Curry seemed a little tame, until a bit of heat hit the back of your throat after it was swallowed.

The food at the Jackson Diner seems to be spiced for Indians.  It is assertive, but not hot just to burn for its own sake.  Dishes have always had varying degrees of heat.  Unlike the Sag Paneer served in much of Manhattan, the Jackson Diner's version had plenty of paneer.  While you can find goat on the menu at several Indian restaurants in Manhattan, often it is not available.  The goat meat in the curry was tasty thanks to being cooked on the bone.  There could have been more meat in the curry.

Only able to eat half of each of the entrees, dessert was out of the question.  There were enough leftovers for a satisfying lunch the next day.

To answer the question posited at the beginning of this piece, yes it is.  While I am not Indian, have not eaten in an Indian home since grade school, and have not traveled to Indian, the food at the Jackson Diner seems authentic enough to continue to draw neighborhood patrons from India and other parts of South East Asia.