Ananda Restaurant

Ananda Restaurant Restaurant Review:

Restaurateur brothers Binda and Keir Singh have created their idea of Indian fine dining with Ananda. Located by itself, but amongst the strip malls in Howard County between Washington, DC and Baltimore, Ananda transports you away from suburban life to a lifestyle reflective of the British aristocracy with its warm tones, linen-covered tables, cushioned-back banquettes and fireplaces. Each section of the restaurant tells its own story, such as the sun-streaked Polo Bar where Indian-inspired cocktails like the Mumbai Mule or Punjabi Peach are a preamble to the Royal Indian fare yet to come. Go all in and enjoy multiple courses; share with companions but get your own bowl of the organic butternut squash-and-carrot soup from the house special menu. The carrots are from the Singh’s nearby 11-acre garden blended with the sweet butternut squash; add the mild crunch of Granny Smith apple and the house-inspired spiced pear chutney --- you won’t want to give up a spoonful. Numerous appetizers make decisions hard; opt for the platter of pakoras and samosa. The seafood lover should try the shrimp Adrak, jumbo shrimp, grilled with a slight char that brings out the chilies and ginger in the marinade and enjoys a yin to yang moment with the refreshing mango and avocado chutney. Consider as well the Kerala cake of lump crab and corn kernels with toasted mustard seeds. The global wine list, a good selection for oenophiles or the beginner, marries well with the cuisine. For dessert, go with the house special, an apple-Asian pear cranberry crisp.