Ajanta

Ajanta Restaurant Review:

Elegant Ajanta provides an elevated Indian dining experience, with attentive service and regional specialties. Produce is organic and local whenever possible; meats are free-range; chicken is organic, hormone- and antibiotic-free; and eggs, seafood and other components are sustainable as well. Three new dishes are added monthly to augment a repertoire of seasonal standards ranging from tandoori scallops to salmon tikki to velvety eggplant spiced with tomato sauce, mango powder and black rock salt. Cashew-spiked green Mumbai curry studded with hearty ling cod is worlds away from yogurt-marinated tandoori lamb rib chops, yet each is its own "best in show" --- the curry zingy and tangy, the chops tender. Even the house-made chutneys, raitas and pickles (especially a sweet-and-sour nigella seed/carrot concoction) beg indulgence by the spoonful. Incorporating less cream and oil than many Indian restaurants and fortified instead with nuts and vegetables, many dishes are heart-healthy while still rich. Conclude the meal with a pink rose-scented gulab jamun. Colorful wall paintings inspired by ancient Indian cave art lend a layer of glamour.