Every now and then, a restaurant comes along that has you thinking (obsessing) about the meal for the next several days. Tamasha Modern Indian in the North Hills neighborhood in Raleigh is just that restaurant. My sweetie and I were absolutely blown away by the food, service and ambiance. I joked, "no notes". Everything exceeded our already high expectations. I was half kidding when I checked their availability to make another reservation that very same week - they are booked out for weeks. Rightfully so. Make your reservation now so you have something to look forward to next month. Run, do not walk.
Upon being seated, we were brought two champagne flutes, half-full of an Elderflower Spritz. This delightful, non-alcoholic aperitif was a beautiful way to whet our palate and get us excited for what was to come. You don't get "freebies" like that much anymore these days, so it was a really nice surprise. The full cocktail list is unique and well-crafted, and we adored the attention to detail - the ice cube has a "T" stamped into it! Exquisite.
That "T" stamp in the ice! |
We were tempted by several items on the menu, and started out with a few appetizers. The Four Cheese Truffle Kulcha had my name written all over it. The kulcha reminded me of a thick naan, or pita, and it was topped with Sharp Cheddar, Brie, Asiago, Shishito Peppers and Truffle Butter. Heaven. On. Earth. Our server recommended adding a Roasted Garlic and Chilli Dip to accompany, which was nice, but not necessary. I absolutely loved this and still dream about it. Even my husband who isn't crazy about truffles thought it was awesome.
Four Cheese Truffle Kulcha |
Instead, my husband who IS crazy about Fried Chicken requested the TFC (Tamasha Fried Chicken). I was stunned at how delicious and exciting this dish was. Huge chunks of Chicken Thighs are marinated in Chillis, Jalapeno and Buttermilk, then fried. They had the perfect amount of heat, offest by a deliciously cooling Lemon Sour Cream. We preferred the bites topped with Watermelon Radish (far too nervous to go for the raw Jalapeno slice).
Tamasha Fried Chicken |
Crispy Okra and Tuk Aloo Chaat was a fun dish to eat with our fingers. Strips of okra are fried, perfectly salted, then mounded atop roasted, seasoned Potatoes, and sprinkled with Pomegranate seeds. I do wish this had been served in a larger, more shallow dish, as digging in to grab a potato knocked several okra out of the bowl and onto the table. But the savory flavors are addictive - you can't have just one handful.
Crispy Okra and Tuk Aloo Chaat |
Garlic Naan is always a good move, though compared to the Kulcha we had earlier, it wasn't as special. But it was a great vessel for the Red Snapper Coastal Curry. The sauce was out of this world - slightly sweet, not too spicy or robust in flavor, a lovely compliment to the tender fish. We both loved the tender Swiss Chard and how it practically melted into the sauce, and the few unexpected bites of Grapefruit gave the dish some nice acid. Steamed Rice helped get up every drop of that delicious sauce.
Red Snapper Coastal Curry |
Our server recommended the Salted Palm Jaggery Cointreau Gelato, and I am so glad he did. He likened it to a salted caramel flavor, and he was spot on. Rich, creamy, not-too-sweet - this was a beautiful way to end the meal. My husband got a complimentary scoop of Mango Basil Sorbet, since it was his birthday. A nice palate cleanser, though the Basil brought a little too much licorice flavor than we were expecting.
Salted Palm Jaggery Cointreau Gelato and Mango Basil Sorbet |
My sweetie and his sweets |
The chef came out at the end of our meal to thank us for coming in. I was eager to thank him for such a fantastic meal. I am pretty obsessed with this place now, and will look for any special occasion (or any random Sunday night) to return.