Review: Iamthewitch.com

Finding North Indian food in KL is not a difficult task, but finding reasonably priced and good North Indian food might not be that simple. Last weekend, we visited Trishna, a restaurant that specializes in authentic North Indian cuisine located in Hotel Istana. The interior was generally pink with their pink chairs and table cloth, with a comfortable sofa area at one corner. Needless to say, we made ourselves at home on the comfy sofa that night.

Fish or chicken, can you tell?

While waiting for the remaining party to arrive, we helped ourselves with some crispy Pappadum and Mango Lassi, which were both pretty good. Our first appetizer dish was theHara Bhara Kebab, a vegetarian dish that was filled with spinach bits and plenty of spices. These were fried to a crispy and brown exterior, but still maintained a soft and tasty interior within. Each bite was a mixture of savoury spices, soft potatoes, crunchy peas and green vegetables.

Hara Bhara Kebab (RM18)

The Afghani Chicken was a plate of chicken pieces marinated with yogurt and cashew nut paste before being barbecued. These had a slightly sourish flavour on the surface and more savoury towards the centre. To be honest, I was not too fond of this because the some parts of the chicken were rather dry, but I have to admit they were definitely healthy.

Afghani Chicken (RM18)

To me, the star of the night was the Fish Ajwain. Served on a mini barbecue pit, the aroma was exhilarating and salivating! Each piece of the boneless dory fish was extremely well-marinated with caraway seeds before they were grilled to a golden finish. It was possibly one of the tastiest fish that I’ve ever eaten – tender, flavourful and very delicious. If I were to recommend one dish from Trishna, it would be this.

Fish Ajwain (RM18)

After having the appetizers, we had the choice of having either bread or rice as our mains. As with typical Indian meals, there would be plenty of curry and dal in the picture. The Chicken Tikka Masala, for example, was thick and flavourful, but not overly spicy.

Chicken Tikka Masala (RM20)

For vegetarians, there’s Bhindi Masala tasted almost the same but had plenty of chopped ladies’ fingers or okra within. I am personally not a fan of ladies’ fingers but when cooked in masala, they’re quite delicious! I also loved the fact that the ladies’ fingers were still firm and crunchy instead of being mushy.

Bhindi Masala (RM15)

The crowd’s favourite though, was the Mutton Rogan Josh. The mutton was cooked very well here, without the excessive gaminess that some might not fancy. These tender and flavourful pieces of meat were the perfect match with rice.

 Mutton Rogan Josh (RM24)

One dish that we should have paid more attention to was the Saag Paneer or Palak Paneer. This was made from spinach and cottage cheese until they produced a creamy green texture that was savoury. The preparation of cottage cheese is rather tedious – the milk is first boiled and curdled with lime juice, then the solids were compressed and flattened before they were cut into cubes. Since only the milk solids were required, only a small amount of cheese can be obtained from a litre of milk, for instance. I enjoyed eating the creamy spinach with naan, but I didn’t know how to appreciate the cheese cubes though. They had a texture like a firm tofu, but were pretty much tasteless. Perhaps it’s an acquired taste that would grow with time.

Saag Paneer (RM18)

The Yellow Dhal was very good. Served piping hot, it was not overly thick or watery, and had plenty of peas and beans that gave it a nice bite. I ate plenty of bread thanks to this dhal.

Tarka Dal (RM16)

 Basket of Bread

For desserts, we tried the Gulab Jamun, which were deep fried balls made from milk and flour soaked in a sweet syrup. But I preferred the Mango Kulfi, which was served cold and tasted like ice-cream except that it’s more dense and creamy, and sweeter too.

Gulab Jamun (RM10)

Mango Kulfi (RM12)

To end the meal, you must try the Masala Tea. It was fragrant and had a nice spicy and gingery taste that kept us on and on chatting the night away. We couldn’t have asked for a better ending.

Masala Tea

Benny and Neeta the lovely hosts for the night

True enough, Trishna had proven to be the North Indian cuisine restaurant that we were looking for – delicious, authentic and very reasonably priced in a comfortable environment. We will definitely return to try some of the other dishes in their extensive menu.

Dining environment

Trishna Restaurant

Trishna Restaurant
Hotel Istana, Level B1,
73 Jalan Raja Chulan,
50200 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Tel No.: 012-375 0412 (Benny)
Opening Hours: 11am – 3pm, 6pm – 1am
Website: www.trishna.com.my

Original Link URL:

http://iamthewitch.com/2012/02/27/north-indian-cuisine-trishna/

Review: Linora Low (RED FM 104.9)

I’m always keen on trying out new things, so when i got the call yo head on down to Trishna a brand new restaurant at Hotel Istana, i did not hesitate! First of all  - it’s food, second of all – it’s AUTHENTIC Northern Indian Cusine.

Upon entering the restaurant you are greeted with a the traditionally interior.

Adorned on the walls are paintings but there are also TV screens that plays videos of Hindi and Northern Indian hits, which add to its lively atmosphere.

Home of Authentic North Indian Cuisine

Be spoilt for choice at Kuala Lumpur’s brand new Authentic Northern Indian Restaurant, TRISHNA. With over 100 dishes to choose from, some of which India’s most popular dishes such as Amritsari Fish, Nooraini Kebab, Aloo Tandoori, Palak Paneer and Palak Tandoori just to name a few. Trishna offers its patrons a great combination of ambience, entertainment, and mouth-watering specialties to highten your sense. For vegetarians, the Vegetarian Seekh Kebab is a lovely choice. Complete your dining experience with our selection of savory desserts, the Gulab Jamun is a must try! – (trishna.com.my)

Here we are with Benny Bedi, the owner of Trishna, who was a real joy for company. A humorous man who is meticulous about his food and admits to loving his food as much as his wife, Neeta Bedi – which i found adorable. The two have been married for a blissful 28 years and you can tell he stills love her as much as the day he first met her. They run the restaurant together, and Benny was very proud to say some of dishes were inspired by her and his mother. If you happen to be a first timer at Trishna, Benny will be more than happy to tell you all about the delicious food presented to you and maybe even a few tales about his life. Haha i know it’s not related but it makes me think of “Arabian Nights”. ^_^

Let me now present to you the most authentic Northern Indian cuisine in KL!

To get our tastebuds ready, we were given Masala tea. Benny says, when you drink Masala tea..all your “masalah” (problems) will go away. hahaha oh how i wish it were that simple. It became the running joke of the night!

We were first presented with an interesting dish. This according to Benny is the mother of all kebabs, called the Nooryani Kebab. This has is mixture of two meats: one is lamb and another is chicken.

Kadhai Paneer

Fish Tawa Masala

Chicken Tikka Masala

Chicken Shahi Korma

Assorted Bread Basket

Bhindi Masala

Ajwain Fish

I’m a fan of desserts ( a bad weakness, i know!) but when it comes to indin desserts, i will admit that it is an acquired taste for me. I’ve found that they are too sweet for my liking. That didn’t stop me from taking a bite though. If you love your desserts and you have a sweet tooth, you’ll enjoy the sweetness of Trishna’s dessert below!

Gulab Jamun – The round balls and Gajar Kalwa – at the back which was a combination of carrots with spices. 

After your authentic northern indian cuisine, head one upstairs to the Songket Lounge where you can have a drink or two

Original Link URL:
http://www.linoralow.com/2011/events/food/trishna-food-review-at-hotel-istana

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 

Original Link URL:

http://eatlah.blogspot.com/2011/09/trishna-restaurant-hotel-istana-kl.html