SPICE IT UP

A M ICHELIN- STARRED CHEF

I S BRI NGI NG MODERN I NDIAN CUISINE ‘ WITH A L IGHT FRENCH KI SS’ TO PONSONBY ROAD.

A changing of the guard on Ponsonby Road sees the doors to Bollywood curry house close; giving way to a new style of modern Indian dining at the new Épicer restaurant.

Michelin-starred executive chef Manjunath Mural will serve up dishes such as Awadhi lamb shank, pani-puri with mint coriander liquid and kokum syrup, and a macadamia Baileys kulfi. There’s even a cocktail menu by awardwinning bartender Mohit Sharma.

“Indian cuisine has been seen as a cheap family take- out filled with oily, heavy curries for too long, despite the richness and diversity of its culinary history,” says the restaurant’s owner, Delhiite Aditya Sudan. “We’re coupling a commitment to organic produce with a first-rate international chef and some of the best mixologists New Zealand has to offer. I spent months putting together a team that gives modern Indian cuisine the respect it deserves. Guests will find a European influence in the plating,– a ‘light French kiss’ to dishes based on Indian flavours.”

epicer.co.nz

To read our interview with chef Mural, visit mindfood.com/manjunath-mural