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I’d call in an order, and they’d say “10 to 15 minutes.” I’d walk over after 10, and that paper bag would always already be waiting Kor Tor Mor was a change of pace from the abundance of pizza and New American restaurants nearby, and supporting it became somewhat of a cause for me during many eerily quiet nights in Davis Square this winter, as well as on some unseasonably cold days this spring.
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Overall sales have dropped around 20 percent, according to a cashier named Sara. The little room only had four tables to begin with, and indoor dining became untenable. The restaurant was in some ways as well positioned as any to take on the pandemic, running takeout and delivery orders out of a cozy storefront on College Avenue. Pabla says patio seating is coming, and I can’t wait to be there in person.īut like most of us, Kor Tor Mor - a colloquial abbreviation of Bangkok’s full Thai name, Krung Thep Maha Nakhon - has trudged forward. It felt celebratory - like we were getting to a better place. It was warm enough to eat outside (in coats) on my tiny lawn, and we were kept toasty by stuffed naan that went well with some canned rosé I happened to have in the fridge. The other night, I treated a special companion to my favorites. That perfectly spiced chicken tikka masala is the most popular entree for delivery, he added. He and his family are thrilled to make them.
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Now, takeout has picked up, and more people like me are reaching out for comfort dishes. Jaswinder Pabla, a manager of the family business, said it had been difficult to get the word out that Bukhara was less than a mile away from its old digs, still making the food people loved. Bukhara was the first restaurant that crossed my mind, and I’ve been getting my favorite chicken tikka masala, saag paneer, and aloo mutter at least twice a month since April 2020.
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Then COVID hit, and in lockdown, with no cooking skills, I needed takeout. Some longtime regulars assumed the place went out of business, or didn’t seek it out in its new spot. In 2019, the beloved restaurant moved from its home of about 20 years on Centre Street to Washington Street in Forest Hills. More about Project Takeout | Readers’ favorite takeout spots | Tell us your favorite restaurantsīukhara Indian Bistro in Jamaica Plain was already dealing with an uncomfortable transition.
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