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| Window prep kitchen on George Street |
If you were impressed with Mejico's modern take on Mexican fare you will love INDU. The newest kid on the block serves up a fun, modern twist on Southern Indian food with a bar menu to match. INDU (Mejico's sister restaurant) opened it's doors only a few weeks ago, and it's safe to say, Sam Prince has done it again!
Half of the fun is finding your way there. From Angel Place (next to The Ivy) a small unmarked fire escape leads down into the restaurant, the only signage a framed menu on the fire escape's railing.
Find your way through the fire escape and enter the atmosphere that is INDU. The lighting is dark and moody, the interior modern and industrial, with 60's tunes playing in the background (think The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix).
The two kitchens and bar are overflowing with staff, all of them so friendly and accomodating. They acknowledge us as we walk through to our table and all wave goodbye when we leave a couple of hours later. The waiters know the menu well and offer great suggestions from the cocktail list.
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My friend Blauw treated us girls to dinner and drinks at INDU as an early Christmas present (thanks again Blauw!). We booked a table for a Friday night and the restaurant was consistently busy. Work groups were still chatting and drinking away from Christmas lunches and tables steadily filled with dinner bookings.
There are a few vegan options on the menu, all marked with V+. If you're going for dinner and drinks with friends there should be more than enough vegan options. We ordered one of each of the vegan plates then two other dishes for my friends and it was surprisingly so filling we couldn't finish it all.
The food was steaming hot and fresh. And with the number of staff working, it was no surprise that it all came out so fast.
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| The Chennai Chiller, $18.00 The Ginger King, $18.00 Kerala Kolada, $19.00 |
There are 7 Indian inspired cocktails on the drinks list, each one as intriguing as the last.
The Chennai Chiller is sweet and refreshing.
The Ginger King is a must-try. The taste of beer is subtle with a sweet lingering ginger aftertaste.
The Kerala Kolada was another one of our favourites. It is so deliciously sweet, it's almost too easy to drink.
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| Table side coconut sambol, red chilli, red onion, devilled cashew nuts (V, HM - milk buns are not vegan), $14.00 |
One of the novelties of sister restaurant, Mejico, is the guacamole that is smashed right in front of you at the table. Similarly, INDU serves up a rich and spicy coconut sambol, prepared at the table. The milk buns the sambol is served with are not vegan however the sambol goes nicely mixed with rice too.
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| Sesame crusted okra, cumin and burnt chilli salt, banana and tamarind chutney (D, V+), $12.00 |
If there is one dish you try off the menu, make it the Sesame Crusted Okra. It's crispy and crunchy and goes so well with the sweet banana and tamarind chutney.
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| Pineapple and fennel salad, crushed macadamia nuts, snow pea tendrils (D, G, V+), $16.00 |
The Pineapple and Fennel Salad is light and fresh. It's a nice accompaniment with cocktails and a few more substantial dishes.
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| Lemon rice, crispy lentils, smashed peanuts, green chilli, fresh coconut (D, G, V+), $9.00 |
The Lemon Rice is another must-try. It's fresh, crispy and rich. Our waiter encouraged us to try the chilli garnish which he described as sweet with a hint of spice. I usually can't handle chilli at all! But I took the waiter's advice and was so surprised. It really was sweet, with just a little after taste of chilli.
Do you do chilli? Which Indian inspired cocktail would you try? What are your plans for Christmas drinks/dinners/lunches?
Overview
Price | Reasonable
Cuisine | Southern Indian
Vibe | Modern, busy and fun
Must Try | Sesame Crusted Okra + Cocktails with an indian twist
Service | 5/5
Rating | 4.5/5
Shop Details
Address | Basement, 350 George Street, Sydney (entrance on Angel Place)
Telephone | (02) 9223 0158
Website | http://indudining.com.au
Facebook | INDU
Opening Hours
Monday to Saturday | 12.00pm - 11.45pm
Sunday | Closed
That's what I miss about living in a big city - the variety of restaurants to choose from! Love the spices in the terracotta pots. Great decor! The Kerala Kolada has my name on it :)
ReplyDeleteI definitely do chilli and I miss it if I haven't had it in a while!
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