Naan from Tandoor. Photos by Christy Simmons
I’m sure that most likely you all know that Murfreesboro has an Indian restaurant, The Clay Pit, over on Memorial Boulevard. Did you also know that we now have two Indian restaurants? Yes! There is a new place over on the corner of Thompson Lane and Medical Center Pkwy called Tandoor. Recently, I saw a post on Tandoor’s Facebook page insinuating that The Clay Pit owners were leaving unsavory reviews for them on Yelp, a popular review site. I do love a good turf war, so I decided to do my own comparison of the two and see if there was a clear winner. Unfortunately, there wasn’t.
I decided to go and eat as the average person would: during lunch, when the buffet is cheaper. I’m really not sure if the items on the buffet differ at night at Tandoor; I know they were pretty much the same every time I went to The Clay Pit, so I don’t understand paying more for the same food. Plus, I like the variety of a buffet for Indian food, being able to get a little of this and a little of that without having to commit to an entire entree. I’ve always considered the food at The Clay Pit to be pretty good, especially for Murfreesboro. I usually get the food to go, as the interior of the restaurant is small, kinda dark and dingy, and I’m usually eating by myself anyway. (Indian cuisine does horrible things to my husband, but you probably didn’t want to know that.)
Buffet offerings from The Clay Pit
So, I went into this thinking that there would be a clear winner in this little contest, but there wasn’t. In fact, it was so close that it really just came down to minute details, which I will break down for you below. I made sure I got the same thing at both places: chicken tikka masala, rice, saag panir, curried chickpeas, vegetable curry, samosas, garlic naan, raita, mint and tamarind sauces. Sounds like a lot, I know, but I just got little bits of each. Each place also had a couple of dessert options, but the only one they had in common was kheer, a sort of rice pudding that I will talk about later.
When it comes to the décor, Tandoor was a clear winner. Being a new establishment, they of course reflected this with new furnishings and fresh paint. The colors were neutral and pleasant and there were comfortable booths as well as chairs. The buffet station was new, and everything was very clean. The Clay Pit has recently done a little remodeling, which I am sure is a reflection of the fact that they now have competition. But, the only thing they did was make the buffet self-serve and close up the kitchen so you’re no longer staring at them while they are making your food. The rest of it hasn’t changed: cream-colored walls, yellow lighting, old red metal chairs with cracked upholstery, leaning tables and a red Formica counter by the window that has seen better days.
Sauces and naan bread from The Clay Pit
When it comes to the food, though, there was no clear winner. The chicken tikka masala at both places was almost exactly the same. I don’t think I could have been able to tell the difference if I had had them sitting in front of me at the same time. I liked the rice at Tandoor better, because they had the plain basmati rice with the cumin seeds sprinkled throughout. The Clay Pit used to have that rice as an option, but the day I went, the rice was yellow and had things like peas and carrots in it, almost like fried rice. I consider rice at an Indian restaurant as something that you use to soak up sauce, so I don’t like it when there are extra bits in it. Neither of the saag panirs at either place had the chunks of cheese in it that would make it saag panir, so I guess it was just saag, which would basically just make it creamed spinach. Both were tasty enough, but I would have to say that The Clay Pit had just a bit more spice. In fact, when it came to the vegetables, which honestly all taste the same to me once you cook them down in curry sauce, The Clay Pit had more spice overall. All the food at Tandoor was a little bland, which I am sure they did to accommodate the American palate. So, if you are afraid of spicy foods and have steered clear of Indian food because of this fact, then give Tandoor a try. It’s not spicy at all. I prefer my Indian food with a little spice, so I was happy when I got some from The Clay Pit. Samosas are fried dough pockets usually filled with curried potatoes and peas; The Clay Pit used to have amazing ones that were handmade, but now they are smaller and look identical to the ones served at Tandoor, which leads me to wonder if they aren’t just using the same supplier for those. The garlic naan at both places was exactly the same as well: delicious, fresh and covered in enough garlic to ward off scads of vampires, if that’s something that you’re worried about. It’s also a good thing to eat before a blind date, if you are worried that they might get a little too close. Your breath will shut them down with a quickness. I liked the sauces at Tandoor better; their raita was full of grated cucumber and tomatoes, just the way I like it, while The Clay Pit’s was thin and lacking in flavor. The mint and tamarind sauces were lackluster at The Clay Pit as well, while Tandoor’s were fresh and flavorful.
Gulab jamun dessert and sauce from Tandoor
As far as the dessert offerings went, they both had kheer, a sort of Indian rice pudding, lightly sweetened and spiced with cardamom, which is my favorite spice ever. Tandoor’s version was seriously off-putting. It was just soggy rice in milk, runny and with no taste. I couldn’t taste any cardamom at all, as opposed to The Clay Pit’s, which was delicious and full of cardamom goodness. The Clay Pit also had some fresh fruit on their dessert bar, as well as baklava, which threw me off, due to it being a typical Greek dessert. Tandoor had gulab jamun, balls of fried cheese dough soaked in a honey syrup. Once you get over the weird texture of juicy dough, they are actually delicious.
So, honestly, I would eat at both places again, depending on which part of town I happened to be in when the Indian food craving hits. I might try Tandoor for dinner one day and order off the menu as opposed to the buffet, to see if the food is better with more spice. The price for the lunch buffet was around $10, at both places, $12 if you ordered a drink that isn’t water, which means that price wouldn’t be a factor in my decision to venture into either place for lunch. I guess Indian food is Indian food, in Murfreesboro at least, regardless of who is doing the cooking.
Buffet offerings from Tandoor
IF YOU GO:
The Clay Pit
Location: 1813 Memorial Blvd., Murfreesboro.
Phone: (615) 904-6262
Hours: 11 a.m.–9 p.m.
Price: Lunch buffet: $9.99
Online: theclaypitindiancuisine.com
Tandoor
Location: 529 N. Thompson Ln., Murfreesboro
Phone: (615) 907-9555
Hours: 11 a.m.–3 p.m., 5–9:30 p.m.
Price: Lunch Buffet: $8.99
Online: Find Tandoor Indian Restaurant on Facebook
Honestly I would never go back to Clay Pit. Things that Christy didn’t mention were:
1.) You eat on paper plates and cheap silverware (can’t cut chicken with cheap, easily bendable knife) at Claypit
2.) Their health scores posted were in 70s
3.) Very surprised about not even a mention of pathetic service at clay pit.
Comment April 3, 2015 @ 6:40 am
Hey Natasha! They had actual plates for the buffet this go around and the service was MUCH BETTER than at Clay Pit that it used to be. I guess it just took some competition in town to make them clean up their act! In fact, they were SO attentive, it was slightly obnoxious. Like, they went through and made sure we knew what each item on the buffet was, even the really obvious ones- like salad.
Comment April 3, 2015 @ 4:01 pm
Thanks Christy,
But honestly it’s nowhere close :
There is a big difference between eating on Corelle dining vs cheap heavy porcelain dishes.
Also with cloth napkin n paper napkin
And in better part of town too.
It’s a no brainier for someone to see the difference in food, place abs service and like you said
” AT THE Same PRICE”
Sorry but Clay pit is NOT an OPTION for Indian fix.
Comment April 3, 2015 @ 8:30 pm
Honestly, there’s room for all in Murfreesboro, and it’s nice to have options. The food is very similar and very good at both places, and I agree with Christy, just depends on what side of town you happen to be on, especially if you’re doing take-out. For myself, saving $1 doesn’t justify the drive all the way across town to Tandoor—not even to drink out of glass instead of plastic or to wipe my mouth with cloth instead of paper. I have a five-year old, so I would actually prefer plastic and paper when he’s along. Come to think of it, I probably wouldn’t take my five-year old to Tandoor if I could help it, because it’s a little too quiet and business-like for outspoken, squirmy kids who may knock over a glass or drop a plate, though the plates at Tandoor really didn’t stand out to me as high quality. Both places serve delicious Indian food that I cannot make at home, and I would recommend either depending on the location and atmosphere you seek.
Comment April 3, 2015 @ 10:25 pm
If you don’t think the food is quality, OK, but yeah, don’t let the plates or service keep you from going to Clay Pit.
The plates and silverware are just fine, and the self-serve buffet takes service out of the equation. (even the drink station is self-service, and even then the Clay Pit staff seems to be pretty attentive).
Tikka Masala 4ever!
Comment April 4, 2015 @ 7:15 am
Guys I’ve been to both of these restaurants now. Ate at Claypit 2-3 times before and ate at Tsnfoor last weekend. I am not sure exactly what I ordered at Tandoor but whatever it was it was really delicious more like a cold salad with crunchies n chic peas. Food was AMAZING and served in copper dishes and plenty to take back home. Service was very attentive and had free refills on drinks.
I thought this was at a whole new level than Claypit. The service, the ambience, the silverware, the cleanliness- all adds up to nice dinning experience, if that’s what you need. Of course not a place to eat off the table with kids.
Having worked in restaurant industry 15 years ago, I can say that Tandoor is more likely to take my vote.
Brian
Comment April 4, 2015 @ 9:40 am
Being an Indian and eaten Indian home cooked food meals at least 5 times a week – Tandoor is more authentic n diverse food options than Claypit…
I can go here with my friends n family and even my American boss and NOT worry about the place, food or service since some might think this to be reflection of all Indians n Indian food as a whole.
Imagine inviting your boss in white collar at Claypit..;) vs Chop house or some other finer place…
Also I think that “a capable chef and an ethical business owner should NOT change its recepies and/or business practices bcos of others, just do the best irrespective” In other words–if u had the capability n skill to do something better don’t wait till others tell you just bcos you can get away with it serving reused food. You will not survive bcos..HE sees it all 😉
Comment April 4, 2015 @ 11:12 am
Perhaps you don’t eat much Indian cuisine. There is a difference in what spices are used depending on what region of India or Pakistan the owners are from i.e. some regions use lots of heat while others favor cinnamon, cumin and turmeric to flavor the foods.
In my opinion there is no comparison between Tandoor and Clay Pit. Clay Pit is not something I would consider anywhere close to any authentic Indian food I’ve ever eaten and I’ve eaten plenty having a mother born in Lucknow and raised in Calcutta and myself having lived in countries packed with people from India and Pakistan.
If you have eaten at Sitar in Nashville you have eaten good Indian cuisine. Even my mother enjoyed it. I think Tandoor is running pretty darned close. I found their Palak Paneer full of cheese and very flavorful. The menu offers a broader selection so perhaps you should try that next time. The lamb is excellent. And by the way, the buffet at Tanoor is $8.99 without drink.
Mano.
Comment April 4, 2015 @ 11:50 pm
I love Indian food but am not fond of buffets. I rarely go out to eat and want a better experience when I do. Apparently, I’m still going to be waiting for a full service Indian place in Murfreesboro. Too bad.
Comment April 5, 2015 @ 5:57 pm
I agree with Terry. I guess this blog writer either not exposed to Indian cuisine to NOT see the better food, service, ambiance n value at TANDOOR OR is biased towards Claypit for her very own reasons 😉 I agree with Sanjay too- Chef and business owners need to clean up their act irrespective of the competition, if capable.
Comment April 6, 2015 @ 2:47 pm
Hold on just a minute: don’t assume that I haven’t been exposed to fine Indian dining when you’ve never met me. This review was about LUNCH BUFFETS, not dinner service, which I stated very clearly in the article. If I want Indian food for dinner, I usually go to Nashville and eat at Bombay Palace or Sitar on West End, where my food comes in little copper pots and I can wipe my face with cloth napkins and drink out of water goblets and eat excellent food. I’ve also been to London, whose national food is pretty much anything curry, and had plenty of excellent Indian food there. I’m assuming the only thing better than this would be to hop my butt on a plane to India and eat the native cuisine. As I don’t anticipate being able to afford a trip like that any time in the near future, I will make do with what I have. And I still maintain that I would eat at either place again FOR LUNCH, and it will all depend on what side of town I happen to be on. I’m usually on the Tandoor side, but I digress. Holy cheese balls, people, it’s JUST FOOD.
Comment April 8, 2015 @ 10:37 pm
Christy,
It should NOT be just food, especially for a food blogger. It needs to be THE food ;)..njoy…btw…..I was regular at Sitar but anymore.
Comment April 10, 2015 @ 11:14 pm
I’m a big fan of Indian food. I’ve had the pleasure of trying lots of homemade Gujarati dishes which are out of this world (more poha please). And I’ve been to a number of Indian restaurants including Tandoor, Clay Pit, Sitar and some others that were out of state.
There was a period of time where I would eat off the Clay Pit buffet at least once a week. It wasn’t always the freshest or the best but damnit I liked it anyway. Whenever I ordered off the menu at Clay Pit the food was nearly always top-notch and the guys working there were always friendly and remembered me. Once I showed up and having forgot my wallet was unable to pay. They told me it was all good and let me pay the next time I came back.
I’ve visited Tandoor once, ordered the vegetable thali and some samosas. My plate as well as my wife’s were both yummy (except the chana masala which was bland), and we’ll likely go back.
My favorite in this area however has to be Sitar. They do it right man. Unfortunately, they’re on 21st ave in Nashville.
So I will remain mostly neutral in the Indian turf war. I’ll have to give Tandoor’s buffet a try and I’m intrigued that the Clay Pit now has a self-serve buffet.
If I’m getting take-out I’ll probably hit the Clay Pit. If I’m looking for a sit-down experience then I’d choose Tandoor.
Comment April 23, 2015 @ 12:26 pm
hello guys did u all know there is new indian restaurant calle fusion 9 opened recently which has more delicious they make biryani,dosas and all south indian dishes and delicious party cakes,cookies and many more
weeeeeeee alllllll haveeeeee tooooo tryyyyyyyy.
Comment January 8, 2017 @ 10:12 pm