Red

With dark vibrant reds and slick modern lines, Red’s décor, like its food, manages to be both resolutely contempory and Indian. Unfortunately, sloppy service and the departure of Chef Gagan Anand, who created the menu, are dark clouds hanging above what is otherwise a satisfying experience. Despite a short fusion Italo-Indian menu, this two-story house has retained an authentic taste for its Indian dishes, although Anand has personalized them with non-traditional ingredients. Alongside the usual chicken-lamb-fish trinity, seafood, like crab (in the Sri Lankan curry) or scampi (in a creamy tomato gravy with methi), makes an appearance on the menu. Traditional dishes receive a few tweaks, too. Their tandoori chicken is made using free-range poultry, they claim—and we did taste the difference. Another classic, the mutton sheekh kebab comes as slightly dry sausages but the condiments, a bit of lime and mint chutney, succeed in balancing their texture. Vegetarians should try the paneer tikka achari, soft triangular pieces of cottage cheese smothered with masala (Indian spices) and cooked in a clay oven. To complement the appetizers, don’t bother with the traditional salted lassi, which tastes like plain old buttermilk, and opt for the raspberry lassi. As for their fusion pasta and risotto menu, you can hardly go wrong. Our favorite, the gucchi aur khumb (mushroom risotto), is a rich flavorful treat with big chunks of fungi. Another delicious twist on an Indian classic is their gulab jamun, which gets flambéed, doused with a slightly sour raspberry sauce and served with French vanilla ice cream. Unlike most Indian restaurants, Red’s roasted papadum doesn’t come for free; all the more unfortunate as it hasn’t been properly dried and sticks to your teeth. And the rip-offs don’t stop there. Simply ask for water and you’ll be served bottles of Mont Fleur, a local source. As for service, despite a recent visit that was satisfactory, experience tells us that staff at Red can be sloppy and nonchalant, which is unacceptable considering the prices.