Trishna, Michelin Starred Indian in Marylebone

Nowhere else can you find Michelin star Indian restaurants than in London, where curry is the official dish and Indian chefs reach celebrity status. Several years ago Sheila and I went to Tamarind in Mayfair for a tasting menu of 10 delectable dishes. One of the finest meals we've ever had. On this trip, we decided on Trishna in Marleybone, a chic neighborhood tucked between Regent Park and Hyde Park.

It's a relative newcomer to the Indian haute cuisine scene serving up Southern Indian coastal inspired dishes. The restaurant is unassuming but very charming - two adjacent walk ups converted into dining areas with painted white bricked walls, old Air India travel posters, and dimly lit chandeliers. As you can discern, this clientele catered to is not Indian.

First impressions, the food was good but not transcending; the service was spotty and often puzzling, the space was charming (wold love to buy a flat with the same bones), and the price was rather high (total bill with drinks was £82). Our recommendation, skip Trishna and try Tamarind or Amaya if you want elevated Indian fare.

Now for details, we decided to order two starters, two side curries, the naan basket, and dessert - aubergine chaat; tandoori paneer; spinach and corn curry; hyderabadi split pea daal; garlic, fennel, and plain naans; and a trio of ice cream (rose and white chocolate, pistachio, and mango).

Aubergine Chaat - probably the best dish we had all evening. Lightly fried aubergine cubes served with sev, mint chutney, tamarind and date chutney, yogurt, garnished with cilantro. Sheila is not a fan of aubergines, but the flavors were subtle and the texture crunchy. I enjoyed the balance, but it could have been better with some citrus like oranges or pomegranates.

Tandoori Paneer - had a nice smoky rub flavor and coated really well in tandoori spices. However, we found the individual pieces to be too large, and would have preferred to see each split into two. The paneer was solid but not memorable. The side corn slaw was refreshing and slightly sweet, but the pairing with the paneer didn't quite work. A tasty overall dish that we would order again if we happen to come back.

Spinach and Corn Curry - a bit bland lacking in spice levels you would typically find in Indian dishes. It kinda tasted like puréed spinach with a few corn kernels thrown in. This could have been a great dish of there were some cooked tomatoes, cumin, fennel, and chili powder. We'd pass on this dish again.

Hyderabadi Daal - a nice seasoning level but didn't have much heat. The daal was cooked well, the consistency was nice, the flavors were balance; but similar to the tandoori paneer it was not memorable. We found ourselves combining the daal and curry; it tasted better that the individual dishes.

The naan and  ice cream were divine, funny how the complementary dishes stole the show. The naan was flavorful, chewy, and a bit smokey. It was a great vessel to scoop up our curry and daal. The ice creams were fresh and not too sweet. Each of the three types (rose and white chocolate, mango, and pistachio) could stand on its own. I really enjoyed the mango while Sheila enjoyed the rose and white chocolate. Both dishes we would order again.

Unfortunately, the service was not up to Michelin standards. In typical Indian fashion, three separate waiters came by to ask us the same questions - ready to order food, would you like a drink? Clearly we were trying to relax and order leisurely, that was not possible. There was this notion that we were not worthy patrons and no real explanations when the dishes came out. Our bill also was wrong, as the waiter incorrectly charged a service fee twice. All the other patrons seemed to have a bit better service level, but even such I heard several of them complain about the service as well. Perhaps if the food was better, we would have felt differently. I give Trishna a disappointing 4.5 out of 10.

suvir saran's devi in the flatiron district...

A work trip to the NYC meant the opportunity for (1) Sheila to join me on the weekend and (2) another tasting tour through this food Mecca. We'd been watching Top Chef Masters this season and decided on a pre-theater dinner at Suvir Saran's Devi near Union Square Park. The decor is mix of beautifully detailed Indian doors adorning the walls, vibrant red painted walls, and Moroccan inspired light fixtures. We were seated on the Mezzanine level above the main dining hall; being the only couple upstairs meant that the service staff was very attentive.

The menu was North Indian inspired, with a hint to both modern and Chinese influences. Considering the chef's creations during Top Chef Masters, the menu kept to his roots. We opted for the $40 pre-fix menu with appetizer, entree, and dessert. Given the a la carte prices, this was the right choice.

Sheila opted to start with the Spouted Mung and Peanut Chaat (sprouted beans, tomatoes, onions, mint, cilantro, potatoes, tamarind chutney, and mini pappad discs). The presentation was exquisite; like a zenga tower with the papad sandwiched between the other fresh ingredients. As expected the veggies were extremely fresh. However the papad quickly lost its crispiness given the inherent water within the veggies and chutney. Sheila and I agreed that the mung salad we had at Dosa (in SF) was better.

I started with the Manchurian cauliflower (an Indo-Chinese style dish with tomato, garlic, and cayenne pepper). The cauliflower was perfectly cooked as my knife cut right through the florets with ease. There were no other veggies on the plate, just cauliflower. Despite that, we thought this was the best dish of the evening.

The two entrees we ordered were the laukee ke kofte (zucchini and squash dumplings prepared in a tomato onion sauce) and the karahi paneer (Indian cottage cheese cubes with sweet peppers, onions, tomatoes, and fenugreek). Sheila's kofte was rich and creamy, but packed some serious heat. Each dumpling was very moist and despite the heavy handed spices, the zucchini and squash flavors came through well. In hindsight I should have ordered a side of raita because my nose was definitely running! Unlike typical karahi paneers, this preparation included a mix masala infused veggies. Sheila preferred this entree because of the overall taste balance. I for one could not appreciate this for what it was - an elevated paneer dish worthy of praise. Reason is, I've been on paneer overload the past six months and it all tastes the same. Time go on a paneer diet for the next few months.

I would be remise if I didn't mention the naan. Sheila proclaimed it to be the best naan she has ever eaten. Very high praise indeed and I have to agree. Some naans come to the table dense on the edges and brunt crispy in the middle. Devi's naan was fluffy, light, and chewy throughout. So good was the naan that we ordered another piece in lieu of any rice! For dessert, we both ordered the mango cheesecake. The presentation was like a piece of artwork - a cylinder of mango and ricotta atop a cookie base, served with a crescent shaped almond crisp. The cheesecake was fluffy and rich, but not overly sweet; the almond crisp provided the sugar needed. A great finishing touch to our meal.

Service was exceptionally quick; perhaps because we were the first patrons of the evening. It was only a matter of a few minutes between all of our dishes. Having become accustom to sharing our dinners - both of us felt really stuffed at the end of this meal. Needless to say we probably won't be ordering a pre-fix menu any time soon. As for Devi, it was better than the higher end North Indian fare we've had in the Bay Area. However, we wouldn't come back; there are too many restaurants in the NYC still to try.