A good Indian restaurant in Kuta.
Atithi means guest in Indian, and the restaurant really gives the impression of an open Indian home where you are genuinely welcome. Here you can taste authentic Indian cuisine, which is best prepared only by Hindus. In the kitchen, two rather famous chefs from India work magic, and in the hall you will be met by the owners of the restaurant, a very nice Indian family. They answered my worrying question, why Indian cuisine is so rare and expensive in Bali, unlike, for example, in neighboring Malaysia.
Indian cuisine requires the presence of certain spices, which are problematic to find here, all the original spices have to buy in their native India, and bring to the island, and it is quite laborious and expensive process, which affects the cost of Indian dishes. Despite the similar religion - Hinduism, not many Hindus live on the island, and there is no specialized store and market where you can buy really high-quality Indian spices. Even Indian Basmati rice, which is very different from the local rice, has to be brought from India.
The restaurant specializes in the cuisine of North India, which is known for its bright and rich flavors. It is she who gave the world tandoor chicken, dal (Indian soup), biryani (Indian pilaf). The food is delicious, one of the best Indian restaurants found on the island. They cook everything themselves, all food is freshly cooked, no frozen samosas (Indian patties) you will not find here. Tremendously delicious handmade sauces, especially remembered green sauce for samosas, made of lime and cilantro, not spicy, the taste of freshness. About spices you will be asked what spiciness of the dish you want.
The atmosphere in the restaurant is colorful and soulful, bright sunny colors pleasant to the eye, blue sky with stars overhead, stylish design, Indian decor. This is another India, modern and clean:) I liked how the dishes are served, served in stylish ethnic dishes, which were specially made to order. And if you want to feel more color of India, come on Wednesday or Friday and listen to live Indian music, the band plays in Bollywood style. Prices are average, with only 5% tax (10% is already included in the price).
What to try?
1. Butter chicken - a classic Indian dish, chicken in a special creamy curry sauce
2. Atithi tikka masala - specialty. Choice of fish/chicken, or Indian paneer cheese, marinated and stewed in curry sauce
3. Tandoori chicken - chicken marinated in yogurt and cooked in a special Indian oven - tandoor
4. Samosa - Indian pies with stuffing, vegetarian with potatoes, meat with chicken. There are two not small pieces in a portion, served with sauces.
5. Indian bread, flatbread - freshly baked, hot, only from the oven: naan (flatbread from tandoor oven), roti (flatbread fried in oil), paratha (flatbread with spices and different fillings), papadam (thin lentil flatbread).
6. Indian rice - rice as a side dish is not included in main courses, ordered separately. Types: plein/plain (plain), zira/jeera (spicy rice with cumin), pis/peas (with green peas), pila/peela (yellow rice with turmeric), lemon (flavorful rice with lemon).
7. Indian sweets - jalebi (Indian “cookies” in the form of spirals), gajar halwa/gajar halwa (carrot pudding), kulfi (Indian ice cream).
