Gourmet ambience at Palki restaurant

JAKARTA (JP): Whether it is the crisp crunch of a poppadom or the last lick of gravy soaked up with a swish of roti naan, Indian cuisine has been luring gourmets since time immemorial.

Jakarta has seen a sudden surge in the number of Indian restaurants, which have gone a long way towards eliciting a gastronomically perfect burp from the myriad multinational palates of Jakarta.

Of special interest are the Indian restaurants that have mushroomed in the last couple of years. Armed with chefs from "back home", they offer the adventurous a succulent menu of charcoal grilled delights balanced with imaginative and appetizing dishes for the herbivorous.

There are numerous up-market restaurants serving mouth- watering food, but the quest of a true connoisseur ends at places which serve quality food at reasonable prices. And one such place is the Palki restaurant at the Mulia Center in Kuningan, South Jakarta.

As in almost all Indian restaurants, the cozy bar is well- stocked, offering imbibers numerous draughts to accompany the spicy delicacies.

Palki's proprietor-cum-director Kenny Kukhreja takes pride in his personal management. He serves a careful selection of dishes from the north and the northwest, as well as delicacies of lip- smacking south Indian food, all in a befitting ambience.

A typical Indian meal would commence with an appetizing glass of zeera paani, i.e. jinten water, before going on to the rich and extensive fare, all topped with the fanfare of a judicious serving of pure ghee (the richest oil extracted from fresh cream). The tandoori or charcoal-grilled items are always a hot favorite and are a reflection of the robust country cuisine of the northern state of Punjab.

Indian food, though on the whole a spicy fare, varies markedly in character according to the state it belongs to. North Indian food consists mainly of the typical tandoori chicken, which is to Indians what pizza is to the Italians or maybe what the satay is to the Indonesians. An excellent snack yet part of the main course as well. Not to miss are the chick peas -- the blacker the better. A favorite and a must is the spinach called saag. All this washed down with a glas of sweet or salty lassi which is a tall tumbler of chilled liquid curd. Healthy and thoroughly refreshing, this drink served as the life saver for the farmers of Punjab during their toil in the hot sun.

Palki also serves an exquisite mutton leg called raan, marinated in yogurt and spices. Cooked slowly over charcoal, the flavor is what dreams are made of to a non-vegetarian. Served with barbequed and masala prawns the cheese-on-pizza is the jumbo naan, the flat bread baked in massive clay oven with a fierce charcoal fire.

Another bread worthy of mention is theroomali roti. Upon entering Palki one can see the chef spinning a flattened piece of dough in the air. One is reminded of the pizza makers, only the this roti is spun and stretched to a paper thin consistency.

The spices and herbs used in preparation are added not only for their taste and aroma but for their nutritional benefits as well. Lastly, the food is best accompanied with scrumptious flat breads cooked in a traditional clay oven.

Palki, which means "wedding palanquin", has private rooms. As Kenny puts it, "a good Indian restaurant must be an ideal place for absorbing the chatter of an invigorating party, and yet with an indigenous ambience suitable for entertaining businessmen."

-- Manav