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Editorial Review

Reviewed in Jan/Feb '03 Issue of WHERE

Bollywood, the home of Indian cinema, has found fame in North America recently. Fusing both the traditional and the contemporary, its movies give a glamorous face to today’s India. This theme runs through Ivory Restaurant, which combines traditional flavours with a contemporary, elegant decor that sets the stage for a memorable meal.

Owner Dinesh Arora was inspired to open his beautiful restaurant by those seen in urban coastal regions like New York and Miami. It is a large open space bathed in dark, rich blue. Silver mesh dividers curve between tables, creating privacy nooks. Running the length of the dining room, the gleaming silver buffet is backlit with opulent blue light. The focal point is the north wall, which has inset cubes in bright pinks, purples and ochres, each showcasing a different Indian artifact. Equally eye-catching is an enormous blue painting of an Indian princess which hangs at the end of the buffet. Completed just for Ivory, the painting was inspired by the famous Bani Thani, known as the Mona Lisa of India, which is on display in Italy.

Indian food as we know it is the product of a fusion between Indian and Middle Eastern cultures. The Middle Eastern influence of the 1600s brought many meat dishes which were dressed with almonds, pistachios, cashews and raisins. These cuisines together were known as Moghul cuisine which came to include many current staples like kebabs and naan bread, both cooked in clay tandoori ovens. This is the backbone of Ivory’s menu, which mixes Indian spices of cardamom, cloves and cinnamon with cool yogurt sauces to create mild, delicately flavoured dishes. Those with a hankering for heat will need to request that the chef turn it up a notch.

Many of the menu’s finest offerings can be found on the extensive dinner buffet, which offers a mix of meat and vegetarian dishes. Navratan korma offers nine vegetables bathed in a subtle, but irresistible, yogurt cream sauce. Channa masala is packed with tender chickpeas and covered in a deep brown sauce flavoured with an aromatic garam masala.

While the buffet is one of the focal points of both the decor and the menu, there are many other individual offerings of interest. For an appetizer the sizzling chile prawns are perfectly prepared, crunchy and flavourful. Less dynamic is the Ivory Sizzler. Although served on a sizzling platter, this tandoori chicken packs little heat. It is in marked contrast with the intensely flavoured, and brightly coloured, succulent tandoori chicken found on the buffet.

One of the most significant influences of Muslim tastes on Indian cuisine is the practice of ending a meal with sweets. Ivory has an entire display case of them, which can also be packaged for takeout. Nutty kaju fudge has a delicate cashew flavour, topped with edible foil. Gulab jamun is served warm with a healthy topping of sweet syrup. With the consistency of cake, the two small balls are actually made of evaporated milk and cheese, with a centre of cardamom and crushed pistachios.

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