Indian Mantra: No mere curry house clone<\/p>\n
Bill Blade, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The latest addition to Jakarta's ranks of fine Indian
\nrestaurants opened its door a little over three months ago in the
\nluxurious new entertainment center on the upper floors of the
\nPasar Raya Grande Theater building in Blok M.<\/p>\n
Rather unimaginatively named Indian Mantra, the visitor could
\nwell be forgiven for thinking that they're in for another one of
\nthose Indian culinary clones found in just about every major city
\naround the world.<\/p>\n
Any doubts engendered by the name are, however, quickly
\ndispelled as the would-be diner crosses the large space in front
\nof the imposing, intricately carved double doors leading into the
\nrestaurant proper.<\/p>\n
This sparsely furnished anteroom -- there's just a heavy
\ntimber glider, or swinging seat, also intricately carved, and a
\nfew tables and chairs -- gives a preview of the overall ambience
\nof the establishment: spacious and fresh, sophisticated but
\nrestrained, while all the time somehow managing to remain
\nsuitably homey in the way all good Indian restaurants should be.<\/p>\n
They've also got delightful, superbly appointed pavilions for
\ndining in the traditional Indian style -- squatting at a low
\ntable, similar to Central Java's lesehan-style dining.<\/p>\n
A warm greeting set the tone for the evening -- prompt, perky
\nand helpful service, particularly beneficial given that my
\npartner is something of a novice when it comes to the cuisine of
\nthe Indian subcontinent.<\/p>\n
Then, a quick stop for an aperitif at the pleasant and well-
\nstocked bar to the right of the reception area put us in an
\nappropriately relaxed and convivial mood.<\/p>\n
And so, to our table. With Indian Mantra located on the tenth
\nfloor opposite the flashy new MPX movie theater, the window spot
\nwe had reserved afforded wonderful views overlooking the chaos of
\nJl. Iskandarsyah Raya far below -- still choc-a-blok at 9 p.m.,
\nbut it might as well have been a million miles away.<\/p>\n
After settling us into our chairs, our attentive waiter was
\nback in no time at all with the attractive and well thought-out
\nmenu, as well as a dish of welcoming, on-the-house papadams
\naccompanied by the customary condiments of mint and coriander,
\nmango and tamarind chutneys.<\/p>\n
Having opted to eat in the traditional Western manner, a
\nthree-course meal of soup, appetizer and entree, both my partner
\nand I decided to kick off the proceedings with a soup course,
\nShahi Yakhani, or mutton soup (Rp 18,000), for yours truly, and
\nMurgh Shorba, or chicken broth (also Rp 18,000), for her.<\/p>\n
After a considerable delay, our waiter returned bearing sad
\ntidings: So sorry, suddenly all out of Murgh Shorba!<\/p>\n
Why it took so long to figure this out, though, remains
\nsomething of a mystery.<\/p>\n
Despite this initial disappointment, my Shahi Yakhani, a clear
\nbroth, really hit the spot where it counts -- taste -- although
\nperhaps the chef could have been a little more generous with the
\nmutton. Nevertheless, a reasonable exemplar of its kind, even if
\never-so-slightly greasy.<\/p>\n
We also resolved to try some of the appetizers, and finally
\nelected for dishes of Kheema Samosa, cone-shaped puff pastries
\nstuffed with lamb, green peas and Punjabi spices (Rp 22,000 for
\ntwo, and Aloo Tikki, mashed potatoes cooked with a mixture of
\ngarlic, onions and coriander, a favorite dish from the Punjab
\naccording to the menu blurb (Rp 20,000).<\/p>\n
Excellent samosas, with the delicate, flaky puff pastry
\nsuperbly executed, and a teasingly spicy filling that was just
\nsufficient to set the tongue tingling without actually bursting
\ninto flame.<\/p>\n
I'd never tried Aloo Tikki before, and I must say, while it is
\na simple dish, it manages to combine a wonderfully stimulating
\narray of flavors in the way that only fine Indian cooking can.<\/p>\n
And so, on to the entrees -- for her, Murgh Tikka Masala,
\nchicken tikka grilled in the tandoor and cooked in a rich tomato
\nand onion gravy, topped with cream (Rp 45,000), and for me, Nali
\nGosht Bemisal, which, according to the blurb, consists of lamb
\nshanks braised in a hearty gravy flavored with condiments and a
\ngentle touch of fenugreek leaves (Rp 60,000).<\/p>\n
To accompany our entrees we ordered some well-buttered naan
\n(Rp 9,000) and a steaming platter of Kashmiri pulao rice (Rp
\n25,000), a delightfully fragrant combination of basmati rice,
\ndried fruits, a hint of saffron and rose water, with the entire
\nensemble anointed by bright red, glistening cherries -- a
\nveritable kaleidoscope of colors.<\/p>\n
The Murgh Tikka Masala was pronounced faultless, but we ran
\ninto some turbulence in the vicinity of my lamb shanks.
\nSomething, whether in the kitchen or on the way to the table, had
\ncontrived to strip said lamb shanks of their meat -- I mean, all
\nof their meat.<\/p>\n
So what I ended up with was five shank bones devoid of all
\ntraces of mutton, or any other reasonably chewable substance for
\nthat matter -- a true treat for anyone with fur and fangs, but a
\nveritable disaster for the likes of us.<\/p>\n
One can only assume that the meat, cooked to perfection, or
\nbeyond, fell off the bone while still in the pot, with the chef
\nsomehow failing to notice.<\/p>\n
Despite my abject disappointment, I didn't complain -- the
\nevening was nearing its end and I was feeling rather fatigued by
\nthis stage.<\/p>\n
Indian Mantra was pretty well frequented during our visit,
\nwith many of the other diners obviously being of ethnic Indian
\norigin -- as good a sign as any that the food's going to be good.<\/p>\n
Which it was, in the main, with the sad exception of my
\nmeatless lamb shanks -- a calamity I prefer to think of as an
\naberration, given the otherwise excellent quality of the food and
\nservice.<\/p>\n
A word of advice, though. Don't sit too close to the large-
\nscreen TV, as it tends to get pumped up in the decibel department
\nas the evening wears on. Something that, unless you're a slave to
\nthe altar of Indian satellite TV, might prove irritating.<\/p>\n
Indian Mantra, Cineplex Level 10, Jl. Iskandarsyah 2, Blok M,
\nKebayoran Baru, Jakarta; tel. (021) 7278 0364. Opening hours:
\nlunch, 12 noon-3 p.m.; dinner, Mon. to Wed., 6 p.m.-10:30 p.m.,
\nand Thurs., Fri. and Sat., 6 p.m.-11:30 p.m.<\/p>\n
Prices quoted above exclusive of 21 percent tax and service
\ncharge. All major credit cards accepted.<\/p>",
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