You can feel it as soon as you walk into the space and take in its rich, dark woods, chai-colored walls and lofty Buddha wall art: Mantra is an assured, confident restaurant that has earned a place among the top eateries in Silicon Valley.
Part of its success lies in its food, but most of the credit goes to owner Ashwani Dhawan, a former techie whose love for food and hospitality has transformed the region’s Indian food scene.
Mantra used to be known as a traditional-leaning Indian restaurant (though it was never old-fashioned, says Dhawan), and San Francisco Chronicle food reviewer Michael Bauer still calls it “one of the best upscale restaurants on the Peninsula.”
But Dhawan, noticing changing tastes and budgets in the current turbulent economic climate, felt it was time for a change.
He removed a main wall in the dining room, created a more comfortable bar space, and removed the cloth tablecloths to reveal natural butcher-block tables.
In April 2011, Mantra also lowered its prices and changed its menu to include small plates.
“The world has changed,” Dhawan told India-West over dinner Nov. 16. “Fine dining is in trouble. We’ve introduced different prices for big and small plates, offering two sizes of entrées for the first time. The whole concept is ‘shareable’ food and drinks — like an Indian version of tapas.”
Dhawan brought in consulting chef Shachi Mehra to design the innovative menu, while resident chef Indra Paudwel keeps the kitchen running smoothly. “We’ve modernized traditional Indian favorites and re-interpreted them with lighter and healthier sauces and techniques,” he said in a statement.
Festive Flavors
Small plates definitely lend an air of festivity to dinner. Starting out with Crispy Greens ($6), Mantra’s must-try take on pakoras that finds spinach and arugula mixed with a traditional besan and Japanese rice tempura batter, you might want to move on to Large Day Boat Scallops ($12 for 3), in which the richness and meatiness of the fennel-marinated shellfish is set off by a Szechuan pink peppercorn sauce with cauliflower puree, lobster nage (a flavorful stock) and caviar. Mildly spiced Lamb Lollipops are served on cinnamon sticks with a rich mushroom-tamarind chutney ($10 for 3); while the trendy power-grain quinoa shows up in several preparations, such as a Quinoa and Jicama salad with roasted peanuts, shredded carrots and cucumber ($7.50).
Entrees include a Goan Vegetable Curry with tofu ($9 small plate/$14 large); a tomatoey Chicken Tikka Masala ($10/$15); Spiced New York Steak with Maple Tamarind Glaze ($16/$25); Salmon Tikka marinated with ginger and chilies served with kadai-braised mushrooms ($15/$25); Mantra Sea Bass marinated in dill, honey and mustard ($25); and Garam Masala Lamb Chops with spiced sweet potatoes ($16/$25).
Two unusual entrees have also been earning rave reviews from diners, said Dhawan — Paneer and Cauliflower Ravioli over sautéed mushrooms, spinach and cilantro-basil pesto ($16); and Three Pepper Organic Tofu marinated with garlic and served with spinach and tomato rice ($9/$16).
Desserts are creative and fresh, with items such as Chai Crème Brulee ($3.49), housemade Indian kulfis with fresh fruit ($2.49/$5.95), and Masala Chocolate Tiramisu ($6.95) vying for attention with Dark Chocolate Caramel Cake ($6.95) and Gulab Jamuns ($2.49/$5.95).
In keeping with his budget-conscious pricing, Mantra also offers Happy Hour on weekdays from 4:30-6:30 p.m. with 50 percent off selected small plates and drinks; and a $10.95 weekday lunch buffet.
Karam Gill has recently joined Mantra as its catering and private dining director, handling requests for special themed meals for any occasion, either offsite or in Mantra’s elegant private dining rooms adorned with M.F. Husain lithographs.
Niru Srivastava has also come onboard, as Mantra’s sommelier and spirits director. Formerly of Amber Restaurants in San Francisco and San Jose, Sakoon in Mountain View and Tulsi in New York, Srivastava has a clear vision of the kinds of wines she wants to offer at the restaurant (“Indigenous varietals, intelligently made wines, women winemakers,” she says, “a small wine list, but focused; and a tasting menu”). She is painstaking in her attention to other drinks, making her own syrups with ingredients such as lemongrass or saffron, and suffusing premium spirits with Indian spices. For beer drinkers, Mantra offers local artisanal microbrews and German and Indian beers; while wine drinkers will enjoy a wealth of local and international wines by the glass or bottle (five premium keg wines are also available by the glass).
Star Chefs
Mantra will bring in two high-profile guest chefs starting in January, said Dhawan.
Hemant Mathur, considered one of the country’s top tandoor chefs, best known as the owner of Tulsi in Midtown Manhattan (the New York Times calls his cooking “wickedly fine”), will help refine the menu and will host Guest Chef Dinners.
Suvir Saran is the owner of another favorite New York restaurant, Devi, which is the only Indian restaurant in the United States to earn a Michelin star (in 2007 and 2008). Saran will sign his cookbooks (such as “Indian Home Cooking” and “American Masala”) at special events at Mantra as well.
Mantra is located at 632 Emerson Street in Palo Alto, Calif. For information, visit
www.mantrapa.com or call (650) 322-3500.