A new chef is always an exciting event and a welcome reason for Mick and I to revisit this most elegant of Indian restaurants.  The lineage of the new chef is steeped in gastronomic history his forebears having been chefs at the legendary Windamere Hotel in Darjeeling.  Chef Simon Lepchu is now in residence at Indian By Nature where he is performing his culinary magic on the restaurants contemporary cuisine from Asia’s sub continent.

Indian By Nature has always pursed an individual style, offering a sophisticated dining experience for those who are seeking to explore beyond the ordinary and discover the full potential of Indian fine dining. The décor is elegantly “days of the Raj” with many shards from India’s history adorning the walls.  Recently a collection of the most progressive of modern Indian art juxtaposes with the traditional to create a chic new ambiance whilst retaining the colonial mood.  Av and Jack Khanijou are the proprietors who through Av’s talents and dedication have received the distinction of being the only Indian Restaurant in Thailand to be awarded the prestigious Chaine des Rotisseur.

The a la carte menu is packed with interesting appetisers which include many tandoori specialities as well as fish and chicken tikkas and their celebrated saffron coconut prawns (B.250) and geelafi seekh kebab (B.280).   However, Mick and I were here to taste Chef Simon’s new specialities and so immediately plumped for the Jheenga Pondicherry prawns and Kashmiri fish to launch the proceedings.  The prawns arrived fat and fleshy having been marinated in cheese, yoghurt and cream (plus chef’s secret spices) and then expertly cooked in the tandoor oven.  IBN’s penchant is for Parrot fish which accepts both subtle and robust spicing and provides the perfect canvas for absorbing the herbs and spices.   This was the case with the Kashmiri fish which proved a star dish.   We detected a yoghurt marinade of ginger, coriander, lemon juice and garlic imparting a soft refined flavour.

To follow we were served murgh makhani (butter chicken B.300) and aloo dum Bengali style (B.190) together with the most sensational bread called nan bukhara.  The chicken was rich and  luxuriously flavoured while the aloo dum was unusual and delightful  (whole baby potatoes coated with yoghurt, cumin, ginger and coriander), while the fusion nan was the best we have ever eaten.  The anointment of crushed almonds and spices unusually crowning the bread was brilliant.

Av is the Indian dessert diva and her unique concoctions have those in the know flocking to the restaurant.  We couldn’t bring our Indian feast to a conclusion without savouring at least one of her sweet sensations.  From the delectable desserts we chose her inimitable carrot and halva pie together
with a cardomon pana
cotta with fruit jelly.  To say the pie was scrumptious would be to do it an injustice!  The luxurious mixture of fragrant nuts topped with the aromatic carrot mixture resting on a crust infused
with cinnamon was masterly and married  beautifully
with the subtlety of the creamy pana cotta and slightly tart jelly.   A most harmonious sweet conclusion to our evenings’ dining at this most elegant of Indian restaurants.

Traditional thalis are a big attraction at Indian By Nature and by way of a gourmet  introduction provide a good option. Thali literally means “tray” and they come packed with a selection of non-vegetarian or vegetarian dishes. For example the “meaty” version contains, a murgh chicken tikka, fried fish in gramflour batter, a lamb rogan josh (spicy lamb curry), fresh cauliflower and potato curry, tarkeywali dal, raita, naan bread and basmati rice, pickles, chutneys and a dessert.  They are both priced at B.450 and represent a personal Indian buffet of diverse dishes.

To sum up, Indian By Nature presents gourmet Indian dining in an ambiance of refined elegance. The cuisine is progressive, contemporising on traditional ingredients but executed with their own savoir faire resulting in inventive neo-Indian gastronomy which reflects the gastronomic zeitgeist of India in today’s modern world.

Located on Thappraya Road.  Open daily from 5.30 pm till 11.00pm.  Tel:  (038) 364656, 081 862 9452 and 089 205 3020.