Where there was once pizza, there is now naan: Tikka Bites Indian Cuisine is a new Indian restaurant that just opened at 8545 Boat Club Rd. #103, in the Eagle Mountain Lake area of Fort Worth, in a space previously occupied by The Pizza Bistro.
Tikka Bites is from Manish Popli and chef Shivender Singh, both natives of India who worked together at Desi Chulha Restaurant in Bedford, and shared a long-time dream of opening their own restaurant one day. Popli is from the Punjab region in North India and Singh is from Madhya Pardesh, geographically in Central India but aligned culinarily with the northern part of the country.
They chose the location in the booming Eagle Mountain area to fulfill the demand for quality Indian food in the neighborhood.
“The community here is diverse, welcoming, and supportive of new dining experiences, so it felt like the perfect place to start our journey,” Popli says.
Tikka Bites focuses on North Indian cuisine, known for its rich flavors, aromatic spices, curries, tandoori grilling, and traditional clay oven-baked breads.
Tikka BitesTikka Bites
They offer a wide à la carte menu, reasonably priced with entrees ranging from $13-$20, as well as a buffet starting at $15.
“A buffet allows guests to enjoy a wide variety of dishes in a single visit," Popli says. "Indian cuisine has so many flavors, spices, and preparations, and a buffet allows customers to explore different items instead of being limited to just one or two menu choices."
Menu highlights include Indian classics like butter chicken, the legendary dish from Delhi, along with dishes featuring goat and lamb. A Tikka Bites mixed grill is a tasty sampler with assorted grilled meats and veggies, and they offer all the Indian breads — naan, roti, and garlic naan — baked in the tandoor, just as it is done in North India.
They also offer numerous vegetarian specialties, one of the trademarks of Indian cuisine and a reason it is popular. Some are quite distinctive: For example, there is Soya Chaap Masala, featuring tandoor-grilled soya chaap skewers tossed in a fiery onion-tomato masala; Dal Bukhara, which they call "The Velvet Legend," featuring lentils slow-cooked for 18 hours with tomatoes, butter, cream, and garlic.
“Overall, our menu is designed to bring authentic North Indian taste through bold spices, fresh ingredients, and dishes that represent the comforting, hearty style of the region,” Popli says.
