Indian Mantra: No mere curry house clone

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.