In accordance with the “whole person” philosophy, the newest initiative of the Mind Body Studio is a whole foods cooperative called Lynchburg Real Foods. “Real foods” are foods that are produced locally, in a sustainable manner. Mike envisions Lynchburg Real Foods becoming an online clearing house for locally produced foods and crafts. An event related to this vision already exists in the form of Green Spring Healthy Living Expo which is held the 3rd Saturday of April in the Lynchburg Armory.

But next April is a long time to wait for your local healthy living connection. No worries! Mind Body Studio will host a whole foods farmer’s market on the afternoon of May 19th from 3 – 6 p.m.

Plan to stop by and check out Mind body Studio!

ShoutOut's Night Out

Milan's Indian Cuisine

By Eddie Sitzler, The Sitzler Insurance Company

I moved to the Lynchburg area about 7 years ago and have constantly talked up its finer points – such as access to great outdoor activities… but tried my best to ignore the lack of great culinary experiences.

It doesn’t help that I grew up in Louisville, KY – which is renowned for its availability of dining diversity! After years of avoiding the subject of “where’s a good place to eat?” when family and friends visit, I now have found a few places to brag about! 

The first truly ‘must-do’ experience is Milan Indian Cuisine located at 2124 Wards Rd near Burlington Coat Factory. The exterior of the building is nothing to write about, but the atmosphere inside is perfect for an Indian restaurant. At lunch time they have a buffet which is great for first timers to sample the exotic dishes and they also serve a full menu. The service is very good, but don’t expect too much explanation of the menu; they will help pick dishes to meet your taste but if you are green about Indian food, just wing it and try something! They do offer combination dinners which are great.

On our last visit we were joined with another couple and ordered family style. This is a great way to experience a few different dishes as their menu is quite substantial and intimidating if you don’t know much about Indian food. They have a full bar but I have never made it past the wine and beer menu. There are a couple of Indian red wines that tastes great and are available by the glass, I’ve never even heard of Indian wines, but am now a fan. The beers from India are also quite good. I suggest the King Fisher or Taj Mahal.

We started with Samosas, a very common Indian appetizer. One order has two samosas and was enough for the four of us.

 

For dinner we had Lamb Tikka Masala which could be ordered as chicken, beef, or vegetable.  

Our vegetarian dish was Palak Paneer: my personal favorite dish of sautéed spinach with cubed ‘cheese’ which reminds me of tofu; quite simple but oh so good. 

We then had chicken vindaloo which was wonderful. We ordered a bread basket which is an assortment of their flat breads; the garlic naan is tough to beat. Everything is served with wonderfully spiced basmati rice; I don’t typically like rice but this stuff is great!

Their dishes are served from mild to Indian hot to meet everyone’s palate. I love my food spicy but my wife can’t handle the hot stuff. The medium is usually a great compromise for us. The hot and Indian hot are nothing to fear if you can handle a bit of heat; the flavors still come through loud and clear.

           

To really excite your taste buds, give Milan’s a try. Be adventurous if you are new to Indian food or order your favorites; this is a great spot! 

Go to Milan’s Website >

Eddie Sitzler, Owner, The Sitzler Insurance Company