Central Ohio has welcomed several new Indian restaurants lately, including Sitara downtown and Bombay House in Westerville. And now joining the Delaware/Lewis Center areas is Hashtag India, a slick and modern eatery with a massive menu of Indian favorites, with a focus on South Indian dishes.
Hashtag India has about 20 locations nationwide; this is the first one in Ohio. When you step in the door, you can place an order at one of the electronic pads (although they weren’t working when we visited) or peruse the dense, two-sided menu and order at the counter.
From there, they’ll give you a number and let you find a table.
After some deliberation and a few questions, we chose a few favorites and one new-to-us dish that the owner recommended.
We started first with a pair of samosas, filled with a zingy potato mix and served with a mint chutney.
The plate of panipuri lets you build your own bites, cracking a hole in the shell, filling it with chickpeas, onions, and sauce, then popping it in one bite. (Up at the counter is a live panipuri station, too!)
The tandoori chicken is wonderfully tender, served with onions and lemon.
When the owner chatted with us at first, we asked about the mandis. We’re not as familiar with these, and he explained that they’re rice platters with different proteins in the center. So we tried the paneer tikka mandi, with soft chunks of paneer cheese swimming in a light tikka sauce. It’s served with a trio of sauces, and our table devoured it.
Of course, we can’t leave without trying a good chicken tikka masala. Hashtag India’s is a rich and sweet concoction.
The restaurant seems equally geared towards dining in and carryout. They offer small private dining rooms if you prefer, while dishes are often served in containers that can be easily packed up to go.
Hashtag India is open Monday-Thursday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Friday, 11 a.m. to midnight; Saturday, 8 a.m. to midnight; and Sunday, 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Hashtag India
66 Hyatts Rd.
Delaware, OH 43015
(740) 909-4444
Web: hashtagindia.com
FB: Hashtagindia Columbus
IG: @hashtagindia_columbus
