The Pleasures of Tantra
Despite a few glitches, Silver Lake's new Indian restaurant achieves gustatorial bliss
"In the realm of Hindu tradi-tion and philosophy, Tantra is synonymous with action. It is continually evolving and it manifests itself in the cosmic energy unleashed by the spiritual, physical, and cosmic union between the female (Shakti) and male (Shiva) principles to attain purity and the highest form of spiritual enlightenment."
No, that's not from the Kama Sutra or a how-to book on tantric yoga. It's from the menu at Tantra, a Silver Lake Indian restaurant at funky Sunset Junction, whose valet service inspired the Los Angeles Times headline "There Goes the Neighborhood." But once we hand over our keys and step inside this lavishly decorated, lofty space, we quickly forget we're in Silver Lake. Or Los Angeles, for that matter.
The lighting is low, the ceilings are high, and the colors are vibrant. Two potted palms (one Shakti, one Shiva) flank the door. Near the host's station, rose petals and small candles float in a narrow pool, while an enormous, Hindi-style male/female face towers on the wall above. An eclectic Silver Lake crowd hangs out in the lounge to the right, sipping whimsically named cocktails like Shiva's Revenge, Tiger's Milk, and Tears of Ganesha, while 1950s-era black-and-white Bollywood movies run silently on a screen overhead. In the dining room, which is fairly noisy because of the high ceilings and bare floors, large red silk lampshades hang from the ceiling and electronic music (which sounds more clubby than tantric) plays in the background.
We try the Tantra Platter ($12), an assortment of appetizers. The salmon kebab is moist and delicate, the dill-spiked honey-mustard sauce providing a nice contrast to the Tandoori spices. The grilled chicken tikka is a good basic with its mellow, yet refreshing, green marinade of coriander, basil, and mint. The delicious spinach and tofu samosa has a creamy, mild filling, and the paper-thin flaky crust ensures it's not overpowered by butter. The sweet and sour potato salad sounded weird, but is excellent. Baby potatoes have been sautéed until crispy, then laced with savory tamarind chutney and sweetened yogurt. Only the fried vermicelli prawns are a disappointment: tough, dry, and bland.
Most of the entrees are traditional, with a few slightly unusual exceptions, such as the Catfish Masala and Tandoori Monkfish. The Rogan Josh ($14) is an excellent classic curry dish of lamb shanks in an onion and tomato sauce. The tenderness of the lamb suggests it had been marinated in the rich, dark sauce for quite a while, and the saffron rice accompanying it provides a nice contrast - both in color and taste - to the thick sauce.
The Chicken Tikka Masala ($14) has a savory, buttery tomato sauce, though the chicken itself is a bit tough. But the yellow lentil dish our server recommended - Peeli Daal ($7) - turns out to be a treat. The garlic, cumin, and onion seeds in which the lentils are simmered give the dish a nice kick (as evidenced by the beads of sweat on my dining companion's forehead). And a side dish of cucumber raita (yogurt) is a nice way to sooth the taste buds.
Since an Indian meal isn't complete without warm, doughy naan, we go for one of the more unusual varieties and are happy we did. The Malai Naan ($4), filled with onion, chiles, and assorted cheeses, is not only unique but oddly addictive. One dainty piece was not nearly enough. (Beware, carb-phobes.)
The dessert menu features a couple of dishes that seem out of place, including chocolate crème brulee and crepes filled with ice cream and chocolate sauce. The saffron ice cream and chocolate-filled sambrosas are better-matched options.
Still, the service needs work. Our appetizers arrived about a minute and a half after we ordered, but there was major lag time before the entrees emerged. No one checked on us during the meal, which was understandable, given that there appeared to be only one waiter for all the tables. But the food is reasonable - the most expensive dish costs $17 - and most of it's very good.
One might expect more daring dishes in such a Bollywood ambience, and despite the sexy name, you won't find aphrodisiacs on Tantra's menu. (If you've been dying to try bird's nest soup or ground rhino horn, you're out of luck.) But if you want good Indian food in a savvy and glamorous setting, this is well worth the journey. V
Published: 10/02/2003
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