Ananda Restaurant

Award winning fine dining Indian Restaurant

Glimpsing the kitchen, the well-turned out chefs, a room that is intriguingly designed with rich tones, large windows and plenty of dark wood there is a complex statement being made here. Ananda sets its stall out early. And with good reason.

The chef is Sunil Ghai, who along with owner Asheesh Dewan, is responsible for the excellent Jaipur brand (a group of establishments spread throughout the city). Here however they have managed to distil a modern sense of India, fine dining and a deep and broad understanding of Indian cuisine into one cohesive and impressive whole.

Here you will find your favourites - poppadoms and pickles, but after the first and second courses you quickly realise things are different. The pickles for a start, deliver subtly and excitement in equal measure. Teasers? They certainly set you up with style.

It’s as you get into the starters however, that things really start to swing. A green pea samosa comes with crispy okra, spinach and a puchka, the latter a semolina puff. The joy is in the textural contrast, the delicacy of spicing.

And so it continues with the likes of spice crusted seared scallops with textures of cauliflowers; lamb cakes with smoked cloves, cardamom and star fruit salad; or chicken with saffron and cardamom apple jelly.

Still who is complaining when you can feast on the delights of pan-fried Irish lobster in a classic Goan sauce with chutney pulao; or sea bass brushed with raw mango, coriander and chilli marinade with roast vine tomato and smoked garlic shoots. Chef Ghai knows his stuff and is not afraid to play with his knowledge, extending it beyond spice combinations into textures and visual contrasts that occasionally have you sitting back with a big smile on your face.

Indian desserts have never really been considered a main focus in India where the fondness for sweetmeats tends to overshadow this course. Here you get confident
renditions of old favourites like kulfi alongside Indianised versions of panacotta, poached fruit and ice-cream

Service is better than exemplary. There are more than a few Irish establishments that could learn from the sheer enthusiasm and lightness of touch you will find here. Eat like a king, be served like a queen and leave feeling like a prince. If that’s royalty then bring it on.

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Contact Details

To Contact a Member Directly, please click on the email or website below

Sandyford Road
Dundrum Town Centre
Dundrum
Dublin 14
+353 (0) 1 2960099
Email: info@anandarestaurant.ie
Web: www.anandarestaurant.ie

 

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