Hidden gem: Find homey Indian and Pakistani food in this strip mall

You might have noticed a vinyl sign in the window of the cubby next to the South Asian clothier Desi Mall in midtown.

For now, the sign reads: Desi Snacks.

“I might call it Desi Snacks and Sweets,” owner Faiziah Rahman said.

When you walk in to the space at 4662 E. Speedway, you’ll see a glass counter displaying desserts I haven’t seen anywhere else in town: shahi tukra, a sweet sandwich rolled in coconut; burfi, a fudge-like bar flavored of ghee; and gulab jamun, the national dessert of India that resembles a fragrant, cakey doughnut hole.

Faiziah makes the desserts fresh every other day, and had run out of her favorite — baklava — and the fried spiral jalebee by the time I got there.

But if you go up to the counter, Faiziah has special entrees and savory snacks that taste like they were made by a family’s best home cook. The day I went, a sign at the register offered entrees of chicken biryani and chicken wraps. Faiziah's cooking is inspired by flavors found both in Pakistan and India.

Her limited menu can rotate. Items like veggie pulao or chicken tikka might be available when you stop by: you can expect, no matter the order, you'll find something delicious.

Her side dishes are off-menu: that day she had an amazing chana chaat — a hot and spicy chickpea salad garnished with fresh vegetables — and a yogurty dish called dahibara, whose mild flavor seemed like a respite against the fiery, big flavors elsewhere on the menu.

“My weakness are the samosas,” she said. The fried dumplings are filled with fresh vegetables and a spice blend she mixes herself.

At the register, she brought out two ceramic bowls full of curry powder you can use to season to your liking: one was sweeter and the other one was spicy, but both were addictively salty and loaded with flavor you couldn’t find anywhere else. She also brought out a thin, delightfully bitter tamarind chutney (as opposed to the syrupy ones I’ve had elsewhere) from the fridge and a sweeter dipping sauce for the samosas.

The restaurant has a few tables for indoor seating, and a large catering menu from pre-pandemic days. If you ask, she’ll show it to you, but note that the prices have changed since due to inflation.