A new Indian restaurant has come to town! If you’re originally from Michigan, specifically the Detroit area, you may be familiar with Neehee’s. Neehee’s was founded by Vrijesh and Rikesh Patel and their wives Krishna and Deepali respectively at Suraj Indian Grocery in Farmington, MI as a samosa and sugarcane juice outlet. In 2009, they moved to a larger space in Canton, MI, where their popularity exploded as diners from all throughout the Midwest flocked to try their extensive selection of street food. They opened a second location in Troy, MI in fall 2016, and have since expanded across the Midwest.
I remember eating a selection of their street food from their Canton location with my cousins about 8 years ago. So when I heard about their first Ohio location opening, I knew I had to go with my parents. And so at the end of my last day of finals in spring 2019, my feast began.
When we walked in, the restaurant was set up in a Chipotle-style format, with expansive digital menus at the front of the restaurant where customers placed their orders and touchscreen menus along the side of the restaurant where you could line up to place your order. Our food came out within 15-20 minutes of placing our order (remarkably fast when it comes to Indian food and the prep time involved!)
Here is what we ate:
1. Samosa Chole
This is, in my opinion, the crown jewel of Indian street food and was SO GOOD. The samosas were perfectly crispy on the outside and topped with just the right amount of sweet date chutney and zingy mint chutney. The spicy chickpea curry (chole) that it was slathered in was warm, rich, and incredibly filling. All in all, this dish was a great big belly hug.
Would I order this again: Yes
2. Chilli Paneer
I mean, this was pretty ok. The paneer (farmer’s cheese) was nice and squidgy, and great for soaking up the sauce. However, we chose the “wet” variant of this dish rather than the dry, and I felt that it needed a bit more spice for my taste; the gravy was a bit too mild for both me and my parents.
Would I order this again: Yes, but with modifications
3. Gobi Manchurian
This was easily one of the best versions of this Indo-Chinese dish I have ever had. The cauliflower was deliciously meaty with a wonderfully crispy coating that held up under the thick, umami-packed sauce, and the bell peppers and onions in the dish served as a delicious complement to the mild and crispy cauliflower. Trust me when I say that this dish truly represents the best of fusion street food.
Would I order this again: Yes
All in all, the Neehee’s location here stands up quite well to their original Canton location. With quality food and relatively fast service at a great price, it’s a great place to go as a group for lunch or dinner when you feel like eating vegetarian Indian food but want to switch things up. Indian street food is incredibly vast, and Neehee’s is the best place to get your feet wet if you haven’t eaten it before. Who knows, you might even see me there chowing down on some samosa chole if you swing by.
Check out Neehee’s official website for locations, hours, and full menus, and follow them on Facebook and Instagram.