I am not a fan of Indian food that has been toned down to secure an universal appeal.
But I ate my words when I tasted the food put together by the team at La Porte des Indes, the swanky restaurant that serves Indian food with a French twist. Here, the focus is not on making the dishes fiery hot, but to crank up the flavour in each and every item that rolls out of their kitchen.
My partner and I began our iftar feast with a lush rosemilk concoction in a shot glass and a date — here the feast is not buffet style but is served to the tables. Following that, a rectangular plate filled with Amritsari machi, samosa, murgh ke pakode and rasoul materialised in front of us.
The bite-sized portions proved that heavenly things come in small packages. The samosa, shaped like poutli bags and stuffed with a peas and corn mixture, was crispy on the outside and savoury on the inside. But the unanimous winner was the succulent batter-fried Amritsari machi that was served with a dollop of yoghurt sprinkled with herbs on the side. Scoop those two together and you have just discovered a union that deserves culinary canonisation.
Next up was another appetiser platter with traditional favourites such as roasted chilli sheekh kebab, paneer kebab and tandoori chicken served with two slices of butter naan (flattened bread). If you love fiercely spicy starters, then you are knocking at the wrong door, but if it’s flavour that rocks your tastebuds, then you have reached the right spot. There’s lots to be had, so the key is to pace it out. And the attentive staff at La Portes des Indes have mastered the art of serving each course leaving a good gap between each. It’s not just the food that should be enjoyed. The trendy interiors with glittering chandeliers sets the tone for an intimate evening.
For the third course, we were asked to choose between curries in chicken, seafood, vegetable and shrimp. My partner chose the shrimps assadh made in thick coconut gravy with green mangoes, chillies and tempered with curry leaves and mustard, while I chose poulet rouge (chicken in creamy red sauce). Both were served with cooked white rice and were faultless.
The shrimps assadh may remind you of the Keralite specialty fish moilee that’s prepared with coconut milk, while the chicken is a sweeter version of a butter chicken. By now, we were almost bursting at our seams. Perhaps, that’s why we were slightly underwhelmed by the lamb biryani and wasn’t a stand-out like the rest.
But all that was forgotten when the dessert platter served on a grey slate slab made our way to the table. Be sure to try the pistachio ice cream and the rich chocolate mousse. This is one iftar experience with immense recall value and I would happily dine there again, iftar or no iftar feast.
