Reykjavík Grapevine - 10.04.2015, Blaðsíða 54

FOOD
FOR YOUR MIND BODY AND SOUL
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Any place that truly considers itself cos-
mopolitan today boasts a rich landscape of
dining options. It is a testament to Reyk-
javík’s curiosity and inclusiveness that a
restaurant like Austur-Indiafjelagið has
not only survived, but thrived.
To celebrate Holi, the festival of co-
lours, the restaurant offered a festive
menu through March. At first glance, the
menu looked far removed from a tradi-
tional Holi affair: I was looking forward to
seeing ghujiyas and thandai, for instance.
Nonetheless, good Indian food is hard to
come by and we booked our tables well in
advance for a weekday dinner and starved
ourselves in anticipation.
The restaurant is celebrating its 20th
year, and that is reflected in its luxurious
new ambience. Rich, gleaming teak wood
pillars, coffered wooden ceiling, classical
music and plush brocade cushions set the
tone. We started with a Holi cocktail of
rum and ginger beer and my partner had
a faultless mango lassi. I suspect they are
made with good quality frozen or tinned
Alphonso mangoes.
The menu cleverly juxtaposes popular
classics with little-known regional gems.
We chose accordingly and decided to try
one festive Holi menu (6,990 ISK) along
with a few dishes a la carte. We started
with a superlative Tiger Shrimp dish, Kot-
tayam style. Three luscious shrimps, on a
little banana leaf-lined platter, redolent
with the spices of the South—mustard,
curry leaves and a touch of tamarind.
Scrumptious. The Paneer tikka (2,095
ISK) took me right back to the streets of
old Delhi, even though the paneer (fresh
cottage cheese) could have been a touch
softer. At that short a notice though, full
marks to them for accommodating an off-
menu request. It was also nice to try the
two dishes side by side, each a represen-
tative of the distinct regional differences,
the paneer from the North and the shrimp
from the South.
The Boti kebabs were next. Cubes
of succulent lamb, grilled over charcoal,
cooked rare, served with mint chutney.
The Murgh Lehsuni kebabs stole the
show, though. Garlicky, smoky and tender,
dipped into coriander chutney, and sub-
lime.
The masala kulcha (625 ISK), a flat-
bread topped with chopped onions, cori-
ander and cumin, and the garlic naan were
the perfect tool to mop up the luscious
coconut lamb Nariyal Ghosth (5,195 ISK)
and Shahi Kurma (mixed vegetables). A
refined version of the more robust and
rustic Chettinad curries, the lamb curry
was clearly shown some love. Full-fat co-
conut milk, simmered in an aromatic arse-
nal of bay leaves, fennel, star anise and cur-
ry leaves, this dish was delicate, nuanced,
and packed a punch. To a South Indian,
this was a pleasant ticket home in a bowl
of curry goodness. The Shahi Kurma lived
up to its royal tag and managed to erase
those traumatic memories of buffets one is
invariably subjected to growing up in In-
dia. Spicy, and in a tomato-based gravy, the
vegetables were cooked just right.
By this point we were too full to eat
any more. But Chandrika and her team
checked on us regularly and the meal was
peppered with delightful conversations
offering a pleasant pause from the glut-
tony. A simple tadka dal, and rice was next.
We asked for some pickles (825 ISK) to go
with it, and we were graciously offered a
pungent Gujarati chilli pickle and a fiery
Andhra mango pickle. Moong dal cooked
creamy, with a ghee tadka (tempering) of
cumin, garlic and chillies—this is what one
reaches for when one is longing for home,
or just wants a food hug. Add a papad, and
it is a satisfying meal on its own. DO NOT
skip the pickles.
Dessert was a delectable coconut gin-
ger crème brulee (1650 ISK) but the pis-
tachio kulfi was a slight letdown. I was
expecting a kulfi full of chunks of creamy
malai (milk cream) and ground pistachios,
but this was oversweet, with just a sprin-
kling of pistachios on top. Considering the
symphony of dishes that preceded dessert,
this was lacklustre. But then again, one sel-
dom has any room for dessert at the end of
an Indian meal.
The menu takes the diner on a journey
through India, with no two dishes born
from the same gravy boat. The use of fresh
spices, and restraint with the ghee and ma-
salas, are proof of an experienced kitchen.
Add to that service that sets the bar very
high and one begins to understand Austur-
Indíafjelagið’s consistent success.
The prices are on the higher end, but
this is no take-away balti place. The por-
tions are generous, the meat cooked to
a rareness one can seldom expect from
Indian cuisine, possibly to accommodate
the cutlery-wielding diner—an adapta-
tion that, I think, is very clever. The festi-
val menu is available until April 5, so you
might just catch it in time. Book your ta-
bles in advance; a hearty, memorable meal
awaits.
Trip To India In A Thali
SHRUTHI BASAPPA
ART BICNICK
What We Think:
Elegant Indian affair with
top-notch service. Stray from
the popularity contest, and go
regional
Flavour:
Authentic Indian
Ambiance:
Luxurious
Service:
Sets the bar for what excellent
service should be
Price for 2 (With drinks):
18.000-24.000 ISK
Austur-Indíafjelagið
Hverfisgata 56, 101 Reykjavík
Hverfisgata 12 · 101 Reykjavík
Tel. +354 552 15 22 · www.dillrestaurant.is
Lífið er saltfiskur
#109 Dill is a Nordic restaurant with its
focus on Iceland, the pure nature and
all the good things coming from it.

It does not matter if it’s the
ingredients or the old traditions, we
try to hold firmly on to both.
There are not many things that make
us happier than giving life to old
traditions and forgotten ingredients
with modern technique and our creative
mind as a weapon.