OReilly

We had a great local Indian “fusion” restaurant in the Toronto area – the chef/owner was Punjabi and trained in both the Punjab and Toronto. Now that I have moved to Victoria BC, we can’t get decent Indian food at all, never mind “fusion” and I am just dying for a really good, high-end Indian dining experience.

I had dinner in The Cinnamon Club a couple of years ago and really enjoyed it; I even bought the cookbook so my husband could cook it for me (VERY labour intensive recipes). However, I have read recent reviews and apparently the food has gone down-hill, so I am looking for an alternative.

We cook Indian food from scratch at least once a month and have done so for many years, so I am not looking for a run of the mill curry house, I want something different. I have a preference for Punjabi cuisine, but with a twist – a restaurant that is considered innovative. I prefer linen tablecloths and napkins, a high-end dining experience and I am willing to pay for it.

Any suggestions?

Thanks in advance for your responses.

Regards Ger

juliaelzie

Hi,

Have you tried to find good Indian food in Vancouver when you're on the mainland? There must be some small place in Kits?

I have a couple of suggestions for you for Indian food in London; one is fine dining and the other is more casual.

The first suggestion is Tamarind in Mayfair, which is considered one of the best Indian restaurants in Britain. It received a Michelin star for the 6th straight year!

The second suggestion is Masala Zone in Soho. It has a no reservations policy with high quality food at good prices. It has a more casual, canteen style.

Best Regards,
Julia

Girlspytravel

Indian food...a topic I've given some thought to recently. Why is it that so frequently, you can go to an Indian restaurant and think, wow, LOVE IT, this is the best! and then, sometimes not even a year later, the food starts or has already gone downhill, to become mediocre to unacceptable. I'm thinking of a particular restaurant where I live, considered the best when it opened some 8 or so years ago, but NOW? I wouldn't be caught dead there-let the Brtis crowd around for their only source of Indian food where they work-the worst! I was amazed when it first opened, as I thought, this restaurant truly COULD hold its own in London, but noooo! not for long!

Americans don't know Indian food, so Indians in this country can serve basically slop, and Americans will go, "oh, that curry was really good, not too spicy, or that Rogan Josh was excellent-and, what's a vegetarian Thali?

And now, let me get to this chain Indian restaurant the "PORTE DES INDES" owned by the same folks who own the highly acclaimed (by others) Blue Elephant Thai restaurant/cooking school chain out of Bangkok (I know the restaurant in Bangkok quite well, it's quite pleasant, seen from the Skytrain even).

"Porte des Indes" is also in Brussels, and it's interior is decorated sooooo fine, one does feel that it captures an essence of the mysterious "Indian experience" (btw, the name of my former favorite Indian restaurant in Soho).

The one in BRU is on Avenue Louise, has been there a long while, and is in a crowded 19th century townhouse. The first time I went, several years ago, I thought, wow, so good-their buffet, with a huge variety, was excellent, and their dessert buffet-with the custards, gulabjamon (like this a lot) kulfi and many others, was really quite acceptable-but the ambience and decor really did it for me. I thought this restaurant was mighty fine.

My friends and I went back to this restaurant in BRU some weeks ago, as my farewell dinner. Reaction this time? Crowded, and MEDIOCRE-the buffet was really off, no room to go to the buffet, they REALLY DID NOT want you to order off the menu, and well, it had lost a lot of its charm and more importantly, what I considered at one time to be quite acceptably good, generic, Indian food.

O'Reilly-Porte des Indes has opened a branch in London-and I say, you MAY want to try it-it's new there, and it is London, not Brussels, a much higher standard in upscale Indian restaurants obtains in London, one thinks, so they may have stepped up their game-but the decor? I understand it's first-rate, better than any other of the chains, and maybe better than any Indian restaurant in the world. This blue elephant company really knows how to create an ambience!

LA PORTE DES INDES LONDON-32 Bryanston Street, tube: Marble Arch, average price 35 pounds

I would suggest you look at this London restaurant review-the interior is pretty stunning, and far outdoes the one in BRU, that's for sure!

www.london-eating.co.uk/142.htm



Okay,

Dukey

Wish I could help with specific recommendations but my only comment would be to answer the above question as to "why...?"

The one most important thing that is essential to success for any restaurant is "consistency."

ira

Hi O,

What is Indian "fusion"?

Girlspytravel

My definition of Indian Fusion would be a blending of elements of other cuisines, say French, or Thai, or another Asian cuisine into the basic tandoori/curry/dal dishes to give it a different twist.

nessundorma

I've been told several times that there is a good Indian-French resto in Mayfair, but I cannot remember the name. Sorry! Perhaps perusing Time Out would yield it.

OReilly

Thanks Julie – Tamarind looks wonderful. BTW, since moving here I have actually only been to Vancouver three times. I’m in London once a month.

Thanks girlspytravel - LA PORTE DES INDES certainly looks interesting and I have eaten at the Blue Elephant several times and really enjoyed it. It also has a 50% off deal on Top Table, which is even better.

Ira, generally fusion means taking elements from several different cuisines. From my experience with Indian fusion, the spicing and cooking techniques are essentially Indian, but the dishes are non-traditional and updated with a European touch.

Nessumdorma, I wonder if you mean Tamarind (above) – its in Mayfair.

Regards Ger

OReilly

Benares is also in Mayfair and has also been highly recommended on Fodors:

http://www.urbanpath.com/london/indian/benares.htm

Comments on the site above are not overwhelmingly positive!

I don't mind paying a lot of money for a really great dining experience, but I hate being cheated. Ambiance and service enhances a meal, but I am there for the FOOD!

As girlspytravel commented, once restaurants get a 'name", they assume they can live on their reputation and can go downhill pretty fast. . I think this has happened at The Cinnamon club, which was originally touted as a really innovative, albeit expensive, restaurant but is now getting pretty ordinary or even bad reviews. They haven’t continued to stretch themselves, yet are charging high prices for mediocre food.

My UK collogues have brought me out for a couple of “Ruby Murray’s” (?) experiences and they have been less than spectacular. Once, I ordered a Chicken Biryani and was asked if I wanted rice with that (I put it down to an inexperienced waiter) and the second time the meal was accompanied by chips. Now, in fairness, both of these experiences were in deepest, darkest Surrey and not in London

Regards Ger

audere_est_facere

Curry and chips is pretty common (in both senses of the word)

OReilly

Chips with everything - that's English Fusion - innit?

m_kingdom2

Benares and Tamarind are good recommendations. However I'd add Zaika in High St. Kensington to that. I think the menu there will "hit the spot" moreso than at the other two.

DeirdreStraughan

I have eaten at La Porte des Inde in London a few times and loved it - fascinating cuisine from Pondicherry, so it's an interesting mix of French, Portugese, and Indian. The last time I went was a couple of years ago, so I can't swear it hasn't gone downhill...

best regards,
Deirdré Straughan

beginningwithi.com

OReilly

mkingdom - reviews for Zaika are outstanding and its not outrageously expensive either! Many thanks - a real find.

http://www.toptable.co.uk/details.cfm/qs/rid|24/spos|1

Deirdre - thanks for the comments on La Porte des Indes.

For my next visit to London I am leaning toward Zaika, with La Porte des Indes as a backup (50% experience is tempting to try the restauant out) and Tamarind as an ultimate “blow out” experience. I will defiantly try all within the next three months.

Many thanks to all for your recommendations.

Regards Ger

Girlspytravel

Mk2 is back! He/she hasn't been around in many a month. It seems I recall that MK2 was the one who always touted the Cinnamon Club as being the best-but that was a couple of years ago-apparently now, Ger, CC has gone down the tubes the way most stellar Indian restaurants seem to do.

OReilly

Yes, Girlspytravel, I know CC. I dined there about 2 years ago, really enjoyed it, although I think its star was already in decline, read recent reviews that were very disappointing.

It was an expensive restaurant, very much an “expense account” experience, but the room was lovely, the service top-notch and the food was delicious and innovative.

I agree, its sad when a favoured restaurant starts to go downhill. Perhaps diners are unwilling to pay a lot of money for really good Indian dining, assuming “curry & chips” is all it has to offer.

Indian cuisine is my favorite and I am more than willing to pay for the ultimate dining experience. My husband & I have many cookbooks and the largest collection is Indian. Yes, it is time-consuming to prepare an Indian meal from scratch, but not difficult to produce a meal fit for a King. We have been cooking Indian food for 15 years and while we will never be able to cook as well as a “local”, I don’t think we do a shabby job.

I want to stretch my palate. If mkingdom liked CC at its zenith, then his recommendation for Zaika is probably spot on.

Once again, thanks for your input.

Regards Ger

Girlspytravel

I love Indian food as well, I've mentioned on another post that I make a very mean "dry" (as those Indian restaurants in England like to say) veggie curry, using beer instead of water (you should try it some time!) which imparts a delicious flavor to the extra hot curry base. Most people here, I must say, cannot handle my curry-it's really good, but too hot for them. On the other hand, one of my former office workers, who is Indian, thought it was great, and now she prepares her curry with beer.

But I like fusion cuisine too, if it's very fresh, not too complicated (in terms of the number of ingredients) and balanced properly.

Zaika does sound good, and MK2 seems to scope out the top tables (although I think MK2 is really 2 people-sometimes a he and other times definitely a she) so that sounds like a good bet. However, I'd like to hear your opinion on Porte des Indes-so maybe you can check it out and give a report on that as well.

m_kingdom2

In my "devotion" to help answer your query better, I happened to walk past Porte des Indes yesterday in order to look at the menu. On paper it all looks to be very good (I've never dined there), but very "traditional", yes it's got the French/Indian element happening, but it still has dishes that might be served in any old "balti restuarant". Zaika is more modern, and challenged staid concepts far more. I don't think you'll be disappointed with it. Also, the restaurant itself is beautifully designed, Porte des Indes looks a bit tacky and dated with its darkened glass facade!

OReilly

Here is the Zaika website:

http://www.zaika-restaurant.co.uk/

Have a look at the menus - GASP! I'd love to try the "Gourmand" menu, but that is more food than I eat in a week and I'd be three sheets to the wind with all that wine

Thanks MK2 - a great recommendation. I promise to report back.

Girlspytravel: Porte des Indes is definitely on my list, if not for this trip then a future one. I meet up every month with a pal and we both love Indian food.

Regards Ger

Girlspytravel

Oh my GOD! I just perused the menu, the gormand, yes, but particularly those desserts! Home-churned KULFI, in various flavors, not to mention their other scrumptious sounding desserts!

Ger, MK2, this may surprise you, but I've said that the way you judge a really good Indian restaurant is on the strength of its KULFI-my very favorite dessert-because there is commercially prepared kulfi which is just crap, and then there's the good stuff-and every Indian restaurant where I've eaten the good stuff-(and to me, really good cold, creamy, caramel and pistachio tasting kulfi is like heaven)- has been excellent. Now, I told my friend Raj about this, and shockingly, she told me, that's what I look for too in a good Indian restaurant! So I must not be too off with that assessment-also if they serve home-made, or "house" chutneys with their pappadums, and of course, have really good naan, kulcha, etc., those are also good tip-offs that the cooking will be better than mediocre.

But Zaika! this place has tandoori salmon and prawns- I don't eat meat, so I do either a veggie thali or, if it has tandoori prawns, or a fish dish, I take that.

Ger, I could do that Gormand menu EASILY, with a wine for each course! This restaurant really DOES appear to me, judging solely by the menu, and particularly its kulfi, that it really could be THE best Indian restaurant currently in London-great pick MK2!

MK2-I may come over in the near future JUST to dine here-