Rasika West End, Splendid Indian (AAP Conference 2015)

Indian food has always been a staple go to and I have always loved their ability to incite my taste buds and introduce me to both new and unique flavours. Given the amount of overlap that Indian and Chinese cuisine have, I suppose it is no surprise that I somewhat gravitate towards it. The following day brought me to arguably the top Indian restaurant in Washington, Rasika.

My research tells me there are multiple locations for Rasika, but nevertheless one was significantly closer to me than the others and so I ended up at the New Hampshire Avenue location. Modern, sleek and contemporary only begin to encapsulate the decor of the restaurant with its owners going for a decidedly classy top notch dining affair.

Emphasizing the contemporary nature of the restaurant is the nuanced haute cuisine that Chef Vikram Sunderam created in his menu. And while the classics like the Chicken Tikka Misala are there, new age variants like a eggplant tower find their way into the menu. Everything is tastily included and there is enough variety to keep a whole host of people happy. On top of the menu is an extensive wine and spirits list to compliment your meal of choice.

My waiter affectionately recommended the Palak Chaat, describing it as their signature dish, one that almost 90% of customers  end up nibbling upon. The most impressive aspect is the length the chef gets with such simple ingredients: spinach, yogurt, dates and tamarind. His twist though is to deep fry the spinach, a smart move that adds an crispy element that is contrasted so well by the smooth yogurt. Unfortunately lost is the flavour of the dates, but the ensemble of onion and earthy tamarind cut through the greasiness of the fried spinach. A marvelous start to the meal.

Like an Indian moussaka, there is an attractive dichotomy of tender eggplant with spicy potato patty in the Tawa Baignan that dances in your mouth with pleasure. Beautifully presented, each slice of eggplant is beautifully tender and incredibly smooth and, while delicious in its own right, serves as a stark contrast to the earthy and spicy potato cakes in between them. Finally, the peanut sauce adds both crunch but a balancing sweetness to create the denouement of the dish.

Choosing just one of the entrée dishes was difficult, but my intrepid waitstaff steered me towards another popular dish, the Chicken Tikka Masala. Described simply as "Britain's National Dish", it truly does not need much introduction. Rather, the execution of the dish is what separates Rasika's version above the rest: take juicy, tender and melt in your mouth pieces of chicken and envelop it with a smooth spicy sauce and mixed in with creaminess of yogurt. Here a marvelous depth of flavour is created in the sauce here, with a strong note of tamarind and garum masala while contrasting it beautifully with the yogurt. Served with a bowl of white rice, this all amounts to the best version of Chicken Tikka Masala I have ever had the pleasure of having.

Wanting a vegetable side to round out my meal, I went with the Bhindi Chili Garlic (small size) to compliment the rich and creamy curry. Rasika treats the okra (bhindi) well here by maintaining its tenderness but losing the inherent sliminess of the vegetable. Simply frying it with garlic adds a fine aromatic to the dish while the addition of red chilis give it a necessary spiciness. Deceptively simple in description, delightfully tasty in execution.

Garlic Naan is a must for any great Indian meal and certainly, more so than any other part of the meal, the aroma of garlic and herbs made my mouth water for the rest. Cutely presented in a cute square, the perfectly cooked (did you expect any different?) naan was an excellent accompaniment to the curries and fries of my meal.

Rasika West End fully deserves its mentions in the Top 100 restaurants of Washington, DC. A gorgeous restaurant, attentive wait staff and a bold menu that highlights both traditional classics and new-age twists all combine to make this the best Indian restaurant I have ever dined at. Rasika deserves to be mentioned in any list of great Washington restaurants and well worth a visit.