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Grilled snapper with a spinach and fenugreek sauce and khichiri and pickled carrots. Photo by Eric KayneAnita Jaisinghani has had one of those years chefs both dream of and dread. While running her popular Indika restaurant, she also took a risky culinary leap in March by opening Pondicheri, a hip, casual restaurant specializing in her take on Indian street food. Pondicheri was a hit out of the gate, and Jaisinghani spent months tweaking the menu, working the line and pouring herself into every aspect of the restaurant’s first baby steps. It was an enormous undertaking for the chef.
But what of her first culinary child, the suave, sophisticated Indika? Jaisinghani worried she wasn’t spending enough time with her signature restaurant during Pondicheri’s birthing.
She needn’t have worried. Indika was in good hands with a crew that includes staff members that have been with her since Day 1.
Now that Pondicheri is running smoothly, Jaisinghani has had the time to lavish some love on Indika. The result is the launch of a new three-course tasting menu filled with some of her favorite dishes.
The set menu’s starters include a choice of baby lamb chops with mint masala; Texas wild shrimp sautéed with ginger, potato and cauliflower on semolina pilaf; black garbanzo beans and pumpkin soup; or kale and blueberry salad with spiced cashews.
Entrée choices include pork chop vindaloo; grilled Texas red snapper with spinach and fenugreek sauce; grilled portabella mushrooms layered with spinach and butternut squash, and chicken slow cooked in a lentil and pumpkin puree. For dessert, choices are chocolate cashew tart with coffee cream; rose petal cake; or mango flan with blackberry puree.
Jaisinghani plans to change offerings monthly, and will rotate some of her most popular dishes onto the menu as well as introduce items. The dinners start and end with gifts from the kitchen: an amuse-bouche at the beginning and her famous cardamom cookies at the end.
Pondicheri might have gotten all the buzz in spring and summer, but it’s Indika’s turn to shine in the fall and winter.
Indika
516 Westheimer
713-524-2170
indikausa.com
The three-course dinner is $38, or $70 for two. Price does not include tax or gratuity. Wine pairings for each course also are available.
Pondicheri is a total delight, a sparkling gem. I haven't been to Indika in a while, but will make plans to return soon!
It's amazing how garbage restaurants like Indika and Pondecheri get free publicity in the Chron. There is nothing Indian about these two restaurants. Basically, the owner is fleecing Houstonians with outrageous prices for horrible, fake Indian food!!
so true.......most Houstonians have very little knowledge of true Indian food
Indika is too Americanized. Bland, bland, bland!
Indika does not claim to be a traditional Indian restaurant. It offers something different from the "tradtional" that can be found all over Houston.
I have never felt fleeced based on the quality of the ingredients.
So Sammy, what restaurants would you like them to report on and get "free publicity"? What upscale restaurant are you going to that serves grilled lamb chops for less than $28?
I have NEVER had a bad experience at Indika or Pondicheri. I'm not entirely sure what you're talking about. I feel like if ANY decent restaurant made it on this site, you would complain about the "free publicity". This site is dedicated to showing you all of Houston. The food scene in this instance is being showcased. 29-95 doesn't discriminate though. They have an entire section dedicated to food trucks. Some of those trucks I would never consider until hearing the reviews of the critics on this site. You have to take the good with the bad. You are definitely entitled to your opinion, but MUST realize that many disagree with you, which is why Indika and Pondicheri do so well. So, what's the point of trash talking establishments and 29-95 when both do very well for the Houston community.
I think he must have crossed over from the chron.com commenters who complain that Obama gets free publicity. That said, I like Pondicheri's alot. It doesn't have to be authentic to be delicious.
never really cared for either...not much authenticity here.
I love Indika and am excited to try Pondicheri. Indika has great cocktails and small bites and high quality ingredients, but if you want a more "authentic" experience, go to Hillcroft! The places there (there are many great ones, my favorite being Udipi) have great food in a casual environment. But if you want Indian food in a more upscale setting, Indika is a great option.
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