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Aki's Indian Restaurant

Editorial Review

Editorial Review

In Australia the tastes of the Indian subcontinent have largely been relegated to dingy takeaway shops and gaudy restaurant fronts. While I'm not one to hold a book accountable to its cover, I think it's a shame that Indian cuisine is rarely given the vehicle to compete with the French, Italian and mod-Oz establishments that dominate Australia's press and culinary awards. Aki's, situated at the end of the prestigious Woolloomooloo wharf, is doing its bit to shake the preconception.

 In addition to the venue, the food flies high above many of its Indian counterparts; owner and chef Kumar Mahadevan's cooking is revered among lovers of Indian cuisine. He has been wowing diners at Abhi's (North Strathfield), his first restaurant, for more than 15 years. Start with Abhi's signature dish, the palak patta chaat (spinach leaves trapped in a light and crispy lentil batter, served with yogurt, date-and-tamarind and chilli-and-mint sauces). The goat curry is another favourite, slow cooked and meltingly tender, it is served with potatoes in a fennel and cardamom-scented sauce. Indian standards, such as the butter chicken, are also beautifully executed. If you like to eat Indian (and over one billion do, every day) but want something a little classier than the local takeaway, Aki's is for you.

Libby Travers, June 2006