I am Indian and a good cook. Very rarely do I find an Indian restaurant I like because most places overload their dishes wiht heavy cream or oil. \r
My husband, my two small children , went to eat at this restaurant last week. The place was pretty full for midweek. We ordered a mango corm soup, dal makhani, shahi chicken, balti lamb, a variety of naans and paraths and a creme brulee trio.\r
The mango corn soup was fruity and smooth with a very light hint of sweetness and a little spice kick. The flavor of the mango wasn?t overpowered by the sweetness of the corn, neither was it lost in the spiciness. They offer unusual flavors of naans and paranthas: olives, rosemary etc...Each ingredient could be tasted, same with the shahi chicken and the balti lamb. The meat dishes weren?t as spicy as expected (we had asked for moderately spiced) but it is difficult to indicate one person?s limit. In various places with the same request: moderately spicy I have been served very spicy food or very bland food per my standards. The dal makhani tasted exactly as it should: slightly nutty flavor, without a hint of cream. The consistency of the dal was right too: not mushy but little crunchy. I would have liked to have a small cup of ghee to the side so each person could add butter and make it more rich. The trio of creme brulee had chocolate (a mixture of dark and milk chocolate with a hint of cardamom), mango and orange .\r
Mr. Praveen told us that the flavors for the trio change weekly: next week he was having a jasmine , quince and pomegranate. We learned that he uses mostly seasonal products and a lot of the ingredients are grown in his backyard.\r
The food took a little long to arrive. Compared to other Indian restaurants this place is pricier but it offers you a culinary journey. I wished they offered sampling menu: bites size of all the items on the menu. I am still wondering about the beet and nut salad, the Pondicherry salmon. Maybe next time if I visit south California again.\r
Pros: Each dish has its flavor
Cons: food took a little long to arrive
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