Indian Mantra: No mere curry house clone

Bill Blade, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The latest addition to Jakarta's ranks of fine Indian restaurants opened its door a little over three months ago in the luxurious new entertainment center on the upper floors of the Pasar Raya Grande Theater building in Blok M.

Rather unimaginatively named Indian Mantra, the visitor could well be forgiven for thinking that they're in for another one of those Indian culinary clones found in just about every major city around the world.

Any doubts engendered by the name are, however, quickly dispelled as the would-be diner crosses the large space in front of the imposing, intricately carved double doors leading into the restaurant proper.

This sparsely furnished anteroom -- there's just a heavy timber glider, or swinging seat, also intricately carved, and a few tables and chairs -- gives a preview of the overall ambience of the establishment: spacious and fresh, sophisticated but restrained, while all the time somehow managing to remain suitably homey in the way all good Indian restaurants should be.

They've also got delightful, superbly appointed pavilions for dining in the traditional Indian style -- squatting at a low table, similar to Central Java's lesehan-style dining.

A warm greeting set the tone for the evening -- prompt, perky and helpful service, particularly beneficial given that my partner is something of a novice when it comes to the cuisine of the Indian subcontinent.

Then, a quick stop for an aperitif at the pleasant and well- stocked bar to the right of the reception area put us in an appropriately relaxed and convivial mood.

And so, to our table. With Indian Mantra located on the tenth floor opposite the flashy new MPX movie theater, the window spot we had reserved afforded wonderful views overlooking the chaos of Jl. Iskandarsyah Raya far below -- still choc-a-blok at 9 p.m., but it might as well have been a million miles away.

After settling us into our chairs, our attentive waiter was back in no time at all with the attractive and well thought-out menu, as well as a dish of welcoming, on-the-house papadams accompanied by the customary condiments of mint and coriander, mango and tamarind chutneys.

Having opted to eat in the traditional Western manner, a three-course meal of soup, appetizer and entree, both my partner and I decided to kick off the proceedings with a soup course, Shahi Yakhani, or mutton soup (Rp 18,000), for yours truly, and Murgh Shorba, or chicken broth (also Rp 18,000), for her.

After a considerable delay, our waiter returned bearing sad tidings: So sorry, suddenly all out of Murgh Shorba!

Why it took so long to figure this out, though, remains something of a mystery.

Despite this initial disappointment, my Shahi Yakhani, a clear broth, really hit the spot where it counts -- taste -- although perhaps the chef could have been a little more generous with the mutton. Nevertheless, a reasonable exemplar of its kind, even if ever-so-slightly greasy.

We also resolved to try some of the appetizers, and finally elected for dishes of Kheema Samosa, cone-shaped puff pastries stuffed with lamb, green peas and Punjabi spices (Rp 22,000 for two, and Aloo Tikki, mashed potatoes cooked with a mixture of garlic, onions and coriander, a favorite dish from the Punjab according to the menu blurb (Rp 20,000).

Excellent samosas, with the delicate, flaky puff pastry superbly executed, and a teasingly spicy filling that was just sufficient to set the tongue tingling without actually bursting into flame.

I'd never tried Aloo Tikki before, and I must say, while it is a simple dish, it manages to combine a wonderfully stimulating array of flavors in the way that only fine Indian cooking can.

And so, on to the entrees -- for her, Murgh Tikka Masala, chicken tikka grilled in the tandoor and cooked in a rich tomato and onion gravy, topped with cream (Rp 45,000), and for me, Nali Gosht Bemisal, which, according to the blurb, consists of lamb shanks braised in a hearty gravy flavored with condiments and a gentle touch of fenugreek leaves (Rp 60,000).

To accompany our entrees we ordered some well-buttered naan (Rp 9,000) and a steaming platter of Kashmiri pulao rice (Rp 25,000), a delightfully fragrant combination of basmati rice, dried fruits, a hint of saffron and rose water, with the entire ensemble anointed by bright red, glistening cherries -- a veritable kaleidoscope of colors.

The Murgh Tikka Masala was pronounced faultless, but we ran into some turbulence in the vicinity of my lamb shanks. Something, whether in the kitchen or on the way to the table, had contrived to strip said lamb shanks of their meat -- I mean, all of their meat.

So what I ended up with was five shank bones devoid of all traces of mutton, or any other reasonably chewable substance for that matter -- a true treat for anyone with fur and fangs, but a veritable disaster for the likes of us.

One can only assume that the meat, cooked to perfection, or beyond, fell off the bone while still in the pot, with the chef somehow failing to notice.

Despite my abject disappointment, I didn't complain -- the evening was nearing its end and I was feeling rather fatigued by this stage.

Indian Mantra was pretty well frequented during our visit, with many of the other diners obviously being of ethnic Indian origin -- as good a sign as any that the food's going to be good.

Which it was, in the main, with the sad exception of my meatless lamb shanks -- a calamity I prefer to think of as an aberration, given the otherwise excellent quality of the food and service.

A word of advice, though. Don't sit too close to the large- screen TV, as it tends to get pumped up in the decibel department as the evening wears on. Something that, unless you're a slave to the altar of Indian satellite TV, might prove irritating.

Indian Mantra, Cineplex Level 10, Jl. Iskandarsyah 2, Blok M, Kebayoran Baru, Jakarta; tel. (021) 7278 0364. Opening hours: lunch, 12 noon-3 p.m.; dinner, Mon. to Wed., 6 p.m.-10:30 p.m., and Thurs., Fri. and Sat., 6 p.m.-11:30 p.m.

Prices quoted above exclusive of 21 percent tax and service charge. All major credit cards accepted.