DINING RECAP

AMARA

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The majority of dishes at Amara fuse Indian flavors into chef-y creations, some highly stylized.

Juhu Peanuts are coated in garlic confit, red onion, cilantro and a chaat masala spice blend. The flavor was outstanding. Crispy Pig Ears, though appealingly seasoned, were too oily to be addictive. Far better was the chutney tasting.

Appetizers are particularly progressive-leaning. Chicken wings in chili-garlic sauce were satisfying, but the shishito peppers on the plate might have had more pop if they’d been blistered. Paneer gnocchi, though clever, was not light and fluffy. And execution fell flat on a lamb biriyani. Among curry offerings, saag paneer brought meltingly soft spinach with chunks of cheese, but the dish lacked the silky texture that makes saag magical.

Tandoori appetizers like a Duo Chicken Tikka, Masala Prawns and Octopus, mains like Patrani fish of red snapper wrapped in a banana leaf and short ribs in cinnamon curry were all competently prepared proteins.

Any meal at Amara should include an order of 24-hour lentils. The sour-tangy amchur chickpeas, too. Tandoor-smoked aubergine is delicious, especially when scooped up with venison kheema kulcha, an Indian flatbread stuffed with ground venison.

CONTRIBUTED BY MIA YAKEL Amara’s 24-hour lentils with black lentil, tomato, cream and butter with naan.