Published on September 5, 2004
© 2004- The Press Democrat
BYLINE: LESLIE SBROCCO
FOR THE PRESS DEMOCRATPAGE: Q 4
When it comes to dining out in Wine Country, Indian food doesn't often top my list of must-try recommendations. But with the opening of Pamposh, that has changed.
This small Indian restaurant tucked away in Santa Rosa's Mission Shopping Center is a hot spot not to miss. Along with food that ranks among the best Indian cuisine I've ever eaten, it has a stylish yet casual feel that's sure to make it a fixture on the dining scene.
Walking in the door for the first time I was seduced by the scent -- spicy yet sweet, aromatic and distinctive. Since Indian food is defined by spices, it was no surprise that the restaurant not only smelled exotic, but looked it, too. Walls painted rich gold and muted red were inspired by saffron and paprika. These traditional spices, along with cumin, coriander, turmeric and cardamom, are the signatures of Indian cuisine. From the color scheme to muted Indian background music and hand-painted pictures of lotus flowers (pamposh means lotus flower), I suspected attention to detail was paramount at Pamposh. When our server immediately appeared with a welcome dish of the Indian version of chips and salsa, my hunch was confirmed. These ``poppers'' as she called them, were paper-thin wafers made of lentil flour and cumin seeds. Served alongside a crunchy melange of diced cucumbers, peppers, mango and onions, they satisfied our rising hunger as my dining partners and I contemplated the lengthy a la carte menu. While our server was attentive, we turned to Pamposh's co-owner Mona Dhar for the in-depth scoop. She answered all our questions with a passion that stems from her love of Indian food. For one thing, she noted that chef Uddab, who was part of another highly regarded eatery, Cotati's Karma Indian Bistro, aims for mild spice in most dishes. I prefer the mild side of the scale, but with a native of London at the table, for whom the mantra was ``the hotter the better,'' we turned up the heat on a few of the curry dishes. Medium spice was pleasantly mouth-warming while an order of spicy curry was fiery without being tongue-charring. The wine list is small and fairly priced focusing on local wines that pair well with the menu. We sampled Kendall-Jackson Vintner's Reserve Pinot Noir ($7 by the glass/$26 bottle) with Chicken Curry and the spicy Roshambo Zinfandel ($30 bottle) from Dry Creek with the Lamb Vindaloo. Racy and lightly sweet, Navarro's Edelzwicker ($6 by the glass/$18.50 a bottle) worked well throughout the meal. Let's face it, though. Wine is really not the drink of choice with Indian food. Opt for beers like Flying Horse or Taj Mahal, or better yet, order the traditional Sweet Lassi ($3.50) and Mango Lassi ($4). Both drinks are made with homemade yogurt. I sipped several Sweet Lassis during dinner, as they were not overly sweet, simply light and refreshing. The mango is thicker and a better way to end the meal. The Ginger Mint Iced Tea ($3) made with lemongrass, ginger, honey, lime juice and mint, tamed the heat of every dish on the table. We dug in with some familiar appetizers. The Mixed Vegetable Pakora ($3.50, ****) was stellar. These vegetable fritters made with a garbanzo bean batter were cooked to perfection, served with a combination of mint sauce made with mint, cilantro and yogurt and sweet/sour tamarind sauce. They were crunchy on the outside, but the vegetables inside were moist yet firm. The meal was off to a great start. Next came the Artichoke-Chili Pakora ($6.95, ***), which was less flavorful but still delicious. Chunks of artichoke hearts, homemade cheese and sweet chili were fried. To maintain the integrity of the artichokes, the outside batter ended up with less crunch. Dipped in the tamarind sauce, however, it picked up just the right dash of flavor. The much-anticipated Vegetable Samosas ($3.95, **) were a disappointment. These pastries stuffed with spiced potatoes and peas are a staple in Indian restaurants, but Pamposh's overly heavy version was the only dish that was uninspired. Then the vegetable dishes, served in small pounded copper bowls called Kadhais, began to arrive. Sag Paneer ($9.95, *** 1/2 ), a tofu-like homemade cheese cooked with fresh spinach and sweet tomato sauce, was delicately spiced with cumin, cloves, turmeric and cinnamon. The Baigan Bhartha ($8.95, ***), chopped roasted eggplant with yogurt sauce, was creamy and mild. We scooped both of these dishes into heaping mounds of Pamposh basmati rice with sweet peas and sliced cashews $1.95. To sop up every last drop we ordered several versions of naan, the Indian flatbread. The Paneer Kulcha ($4.50, ***) was naan stuffed with spiced, grated goat cheese. It was tasty, but the way to go is the Plain Naan ($1.95, ****). Cooked in the tandoor brick oven, it's brown and crispy on one side and soft and chewy on the other. You can't eat Indian food without having tandoori, so we chose the Tandoori Tiger Prawn ($15.95, ** 1/2 ). The presentation was eye-catching with large prawns and sizzling hunks of vegetables, but the prawns were slightly overcooked. The next three dishes, however, were impeccably prepared. The Lamb Vindaloo ($13.95, ****), with its tender bites of lamb and potato laced with fragrant spices, was fiery hot and flavorful. Chased with a sip of the mouth-cooling Sweet Lassi yogurt drink, it was a combination made in culinary heaven. The Chicken Curry ($12.95, *** 1/2 ) sported large chunks of tender chicken smothered in spicy curry sauce, which we topped off with a dollop of sweet Mango Chutney ($2.50). The Chicken Tikka Masala ($12.95, ) was the high point of the meal. One of my dining partners had never eaten Indian cuisine and wasn't sure she wanted to, but after nibbling this dish she was a convert. These tandoori chicken chunks served in curry sauce thickened with heavy cream and sprinkled with saffron and paprika made the entire table sigh with pleasure. We had to order the Chef's Special chicken dish and were glad we did. The Chicken in Apricot Sauce ($14.95, ****) was cubes of chicken in a sweet apricot sauce topped with salty almond slivers. The interplay of flavors worked beautifully. Managing to try it all was a feat, but we couldn't pass up dessert. So, to finish off the meal the Pamposh Custard ($6, *** 1/2 ) was brought out. Another chef's special, this homemade custard was served with fresh blueberries, raspberries and bananas with a sprig of mint and dash of saffron. Light and delicate, it capped off the evening with style. Leslie Sbrocco is a Sonoma County wine, food and travel writer and the author of ``Wine for Women: A Guide to Buying, Pairing and Sharing Wine'' (William Morrow). You can contact her at leslie@lesliesbrocco.comPHOTO: 1 by CRISTA JEREMIASON / The Press Democrat
Attention to detail is paramount at Pamposh r estaurant, which has a stylish yet casual feel. The walls of the Santa Rosa dining establishment are adorned with paintings of lotus flowers.
Infobox: PAMPOSH
Restaurant: Pamposh, 52 Mission Circle, Suite 110, Mission Shopping Center, Highway 12 and Mission Boulevard, Santa Rosa When: Dinner 5-9 p.m. Tuesday-Sunday Reservations: Recommended. Call 538-3367 Price range: Moderate, with most big plates from $9.95 to $15.95 Kid-friendliness: ** 1/2 Wine list: ** Service: *** 1/2 Ambiance: *** Food: **** Overall: *** 1/2 Star rating system -- Extraordinary -- Very good -- Good -- Not very good 0 -- TerribleCopyright © 2004 The Press Democrat