Raga Restaurant, Bar, Lounge- Part Deux

Rarely do I review a restaurant twice. I am writing about Raga for a second time (the first one has been made on my blog a few weeks previous to this). You might say that I have a soft spot for this establishment or that I really want this place succeed. Either way, you'd be right.

I'm sick and tired of Orlando Indian restaurants being pigeonholed into two different categories: one being a horrible, hole-in-the-wall, with seedy, questionable hygiene practices and the other being too-exotic, unfriendly, and unapproachable to the masses. It's high time Americans got on the bandwagon and made Indian food their new Italian. The U.K. made it their #1 cuisine- so, why can't we at least give it a good try?

Raga seems to be a different breed- good locale, decent service, fine-dining, and a rather (for now) pristine atmosphere. All things that typically work in favor of any burgeoning business. So, I had to go back and give them another shot.

This time around, I intentionally tried a completely different set of food options to see if there would be a difference at all- Peppery Mushrooms (a 'Chef's Signature' item-$16), Nilgiri Tahr Curry ($14), Paneer Elaichi Pasanda ($14), and to round-off the experience a Gulmohar Naan ($4) and Mango Lassi ($3).

The Peppery Mushrooms were with onions and chillies in a peppery soy sauce (just as described on the menu- WOO-HOO!) and they were sublimely addictive. High notes of salt and crisp, lightly sauteed vegetables matched perfectly with the undercurrents of heat from the black pepper. Scallions and cilantro complimented the nutty, earthy bite of crunchy, batter-fried mushrooms. Wonderful in it's umami flavor, it was appropriately highlighted as a signature item. Well done.

The Paneer Elaichi Pasanda was made with 'home-made' paneer (a fact that I can neither confirm nor deny) simmered in a creamy, honey-laced, tomato gravy. The description was close to what was served in front of me- volatile cardamom wafts cutting through the air between the fork and the nose was very tantalizing. Except, the sweetness of the honey didn't come through. Maybe it was eclipsed by the inherent sweetness of the vegetables and the cheese? Not sure. Regardless, this dish didn't sing Old Delhi- it read more like a fusion dish that some people might especially like when they are first introduced to Indian cooking.

The Nilgiri Tahr curry was described as being 'garden fresh vegetables' prepared in a south Indian style with mint and coconut and it was very close to that. Carrots, peas, potatoes, cilantro and even a few cubes of paneer bobbed above the dark greenish-brown curry. The only thing that was apparent and unlike the Paneer Elaichi Pasanda was that this sauce was probably put together (a little coconut chutney here, a little curry sauce there) minutes after the order was put in- rather than something that develops deeper flavor profiles when cooked longer on the stove. Nevertheless, if that was the objective of the dish, then the chefs executed it well.

The Gulmohar Naan was described to be 'stuffed with nuts and raisin paste'. Minced Almonds were present but I barely could taste the raisin paste. Rather, the Naan sang of maraschino cherries that dotted the interior frequently and blotted the bread deep pink wherever they were. Again, not something that was described and not what I was expecting. Did it ruin the bread? Not really, but maraschino cherries should be reserved for culinary 101- remember, these heavily pickled (not to mention chemically dyed) fruit are food-safe, but not exactly the healthiest things on the planet.

In a bizarre flip-flop, the Mango Lassi was rich, thick, and creamy. It even tasted like adequate mango puree was in it- a far cry from the thin, watery Plain Lassi I had a few weeks prior. This leads me to believe that this restaurant may be suffering from finding it's stride in standardizing it's food product-  from table to table as well as day by day. Also, there is a lackadaisical departure from what is promised in the description of the menu (what the customer anticipates his money is going towards) and what really appears on the waiters tray. Again, another chronic problem that a lot of Indian and other restaurants here in Orlando tend to be plagued by.

IN A NUTSHELL: This experience was much better than the previous one. The service was attentive on both occasions- and maybe more so this time around when the server noticed that I was taking notes as I ate every single dish. There was no debacle near the bar as I had seen before and Rajiv pleasantly kept himself productive and unmemorably engrossed in FOH duties. If Raga leaps beyond the chronic problems of menu inconsistency and staying loyal to what they promise to offer, they will strike a vein in the heart of Orlando that most would akin to gold.

Raga Restaurant, Bar, and Lounge

I wanted to write something about Raga- the relatively new Indian fine-dining experience on Restaurant Row in Dr. Phillips. I had first visited this place a few weeks after it first opened- when it was only functioning in the evening for dinner, but I waited off on a report so Raga’s timeline was a little longer than a hot second.

You should know right off the bat that Raga is indeed one of the prettier establishments – in fact, THE prettiest establishment when it comes to décor, ambiance, place-settings, lighting, and food presentation. This has not changed since the beginning of its opening. However, there are some things that have changed.

I tried the following dishes this time- Raj Kachori ($6), Aloo Pardesi ($10), Lasooni Saag Paneer ($14), Chandni Korma ($14), Chatpata Naan ($3) and for a libation, a Sweet Lassi ($3).
 

The Raj Kachori was described on the menu as being “stuffed with sprouts” but there was none in the appetizer. It was medium-spiced with a slight kick towards the end. A very time-sensitive dish once prepared, black garbanzo beans, yogurt, mint/green chutneys softened the crisp fried wafer to what was a soggy, muddled, appetizer rather than a crunchy, layered one. Nevertheless, it was tangy, tasty, and not overly seasoned. The Aloo Pardesi was wonderful and promised all the ingredients that were listed on the menu (potato barrels stuffed with cashews, mixed vegetables, served on the bed of sautéed vegetables with touches of mint-basil dipping sauce). The raw slivers of red radish skewed the profile to bitter and I just wish there was more chutney or something moist since the dish as a whole was very dry two bites into it. In short, I was looking for some moistness in the Pardesi and a little more dryness in Kachori.

Saag paneer was a superb concoction- a wonderfully medium-spiced sauce intertwined with soft paneer cubes and then further garnished with shredded paneer. The sauce itself was a supremely smooth herb purée with great notes of herbaceous spinach, ginger, garlic, and cumin in a well-balanced recipe. Chandni Korma with its vegetables (some type of squash and cauliflower) in a creamy yogurt sauce with dried apricots and almonds was divine. The oil in the dish started to separate from the sauce mid-meal. However, the smooth flavor from all those wonderful Indian spices was very soothing. The Chatpata Naan was lack-luster. Basil, which the menu described, was absent in it and no matter how finely one minces and spreads cilantro, the two do not taste the same. Bottom line- it was a garlic naan with sparse and minute green flecks that was meant to substitute for the real thing. The sweet Lassi was pure yogurt, sugar, and water and not as thick and rich as other establishments serve.

 

IN A NUTSHELL: Food fare is standard here that will appeal to most. The prices are competitive with a good range of variation that goes beyond the standard selections that you would find in another Indian restaurant.  The food presentation and the ambiance is probably the best for Indian restaurants in town. The service was attentive. Most (if not all) of the servers here are non-Indian so please overlook that they cannot pronounce food items correctly. Indians were reserved for the kitchen and the FOH maître d'- and this is not exactly a good thing because a large party of smarmy men were seen trying to sneak in their own alcohol without waiting to be sat and then pulling their server aside to bribe him away from a corkage fee (Rajiv should have handled this better and showed them the door as other patrons were looking on to see what is and isn’t permissible at Raga). Only time will tell if Raga will flourish or perish- but it is my hope that fine dining standards are adhered to- on the menu as well as on the floor.