Review: Eatlah.blogspot.com

A palatial air of authenticity is immediately apparent upon walking through the doors of Trishna where authentic Northern Indian dining is a cultural experience.

On entering Trishna, you are welcomed by a passage to the unique colorful world of Bollywood. This unassuming restaurant is tucked away at level B1 of Hotel Istana Kuala Lumpur; opened since June 2011 after relocating from Damansara Intan.

Trishna's new romantic interior combines seductive Indian richness and sparkle, with moody, dramatic lighting. This restaurant reflects an eclectic mix of the modern Indian craftsmanship in a sophisticated and stylish setting.

Decorated with expensive Indian art, design and culture, you get to learn and enjoy as well the beauty of India without having to travel there.

True to its root, Trishna hired chefs from different parts of India with respective specialties to ensure that the food served is authentic; just like how it's prepared back in India.

While we were waiting for everyone to arrive, we had some Papadums with Mint Chutney dipping. These thin handmadepapadums were more crispy and deliciously flavored with herbs in comparison to those average papadums out there.

For drinks, we had Lassi (~RM 6); a traditional Indian beverage made by blending yogurt with water, salt, or spices until frothy. While the Mango Lassi is probably the most well know sweet Lassi to everyone, many variations exist. The salted lassi are made with yogurt, water, salt and and ground cumin powder while the Sweet Lassi are made the same way by omitting the salt and substitute it with sugar. Most of us have never tasted the traditional Salted Lassi before, it can be somewhat of an acquired taste but it had a nice spiced aroma in it.

We also tried Jal Jeera / Cumin Water (~RM 5), can best described as Indian spiced and salty lemonade which is a popular refreshment in during hot days. It has an unique flavor similar to the salted lassi and also known to be good for digestion. 

First to arrive was the Murgh Malai Tikka (~RM 16), irresistible, tender, creamy and fragrant pieces of chicken marinated with yogurt, cheese and grilled to perfection in a tandoor (clay oven). One of our favorite must-have!

Amritsari Fish (~RM 17), an authentic mouth-watering boneless deep-fried fish prepared with egg, yogurt, thymol seeds and fresh spices from the land of punjab. Named after the city where it originated, this dish is a popular street food of Amritsar.

Hara Bhara Kebab (~RM 15), a tasty alternative for those who love kebabs but are vegetarian. It was filled with aromatic spices, healthy ingredients and an amazing taste.

A heaping basket of fresh Garlic Naan (~RM 8), Plain Naan (~RM 4) and Tandoori Roti (~RM 4), thin and freshly out of thetandoor. Excellent staple accompaniment to the delightful curries!

Mutton Rogan Josh (~RM 20), a classic aromatic lamb dish is perhaps most famous of Kashmiri dishes. The name rogan josh is derived from the word rogan meaning color and josh meaning passion, hot or red.

Bhindi Masala (~RM 13), another simple but popular North Indian style vegetable, sauteed lady fingers with a blend of spices.

Dal Tadka (~RM 16), a traditional staple curry dish made with lentils and lots of spices making it a favourite accompaniment with rice or naan breads. 

Saag Paneer (~RM 16), a smooth, exotically spiced Indian cooked spinach curry dish cooked with sizable chunks of cottagecheese known as paneer. It was wonderfully spicy and delicious!

Goan Fish Curry (~RM 18), a sinfully delicious fish curry originated from Goa with a blend of fragrant spices and rich in coconut milk.

Jeera Rice (~RM 7), fragrant long basmati rice studded with earthy cumin seeds takes your usual steamed rice to a whole new flavor level! It was the ultimate pair with the curry dishes when it comes to good eating!

Kadai Chicken (~RM 18), tender roasted chicken with capsicum and onion with special spices from Kadhai.

Stuffed Tangdi Kebab Special (~RM 12), roasted chicken drumsticks stuffed with minced mutton.

Most unusual and unique dish but the minced mutton fillings were a little too salty for me.

An Indian meal is never complete without the delectable Indian desserts at Trish­na. Gajar Halwa (~RM 8), a traditional Punjabi dessert made with shredded carrots, milk, almonds and cashew nuts. It was delicious, vibrant in color, not excessively sweet and very nutty. 

Gulab Jamun (~RM 8), deep-fried dough balls immersed in warm sweet syrup. Definitely must-try!

Rasmalai (~RM 10), a tedious and rare Indian delicacy made from paneer soaked in chilled creamy milk for overnight until soft and spongy. Interestingly, it didn't have the cheesy texture but more like soaked white bread in milk. Very rich and creamy.

Most Indian desserts are usually cloyingly sweet but Trishna did a great job in cutting down the sugar and made it just nice for today's health-conscious lifestyle.

Trishna's signature Masala Tea (~RM 4), a spiced tea made by brewing tea with a mixture of aromatic Indian spices such as cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, peppercorn and cloves which eases nausea and detoxify the liver. 

Nothing is more satisfying than to sip a cup of Masala tea after a convivial meal. 

Mr. Benny Bedi, the presence of this bubbly owner always fills the air with laughter. According to Benny, Trishna's Masala tea is made specially for Malaysians because when you drink their Masala tea, you will no longer have "masalah".

Verdict: We love authentic Indian foods but the problem is, you never know where to find the right one. They are either too overly expensive or not that great. Cooked with love and sincerity, Trishna offers its patrons a great combination of 5-stars North Indian fare without putting holes into the pocket.

Address: 

Level B1, West Wing,

Hotel Istana,

73, Jalan Raja Chulan,

50200 Kuala Lumpur

Tel: 03-2142 1575 / 012-3750 412

Business Hours: Opens daily from 11am - 3pm and 6pm - 12am

Pork Free: Yes

Taste: 

Value: 

GPS: 3.149536, 101.709558 

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