Indus

Indus has really, REALLY great food— and the first indication of the delicious meal you’re about to enjoy is the wall at the front of the restaurant...

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This wall is filled with numerous awards they’ve won during their five years in business naming it “Winner-Indian Category” by Bangkok Dining and Entertainment Awards two years in a row, or Thailand Tattler’s “Bangkok’s Best Restaurants” in’06 ’07, and ’08 amongst many, many others.

However, before getting to the food, let me just say that Indus is just so totally coooooool. What makes this completely renovated converted bungalow style house so unique is the combination of its modern and warm atmosphere coupled with ancient details like carved door frames, warm tiled floors, a huge tropical garden, and great patio space. Indus is decorated with pictures, paintings and art, all imported from India--balanced by large windows that allow diners to take in the tropical landscaping out back. Indus regularly brings in international and local DJs, and on “ordinary” weekend nights, they have an in-house DJ who has mastered the art of setting the perfect mood.

Another plus adding to the cool factor is the fact that diners can have their choice of atmospheres – they can eat in the main dining area, which seats 50 and offers a comfortable and relaxed setting for an intimate dinner for two or could just as easily accommodate larger parties, or in the evenings, when the sun goes down and the cool breeze wafts in, the outdoor terrace is about as sabai as it gets.

During the rainy season, the patio is covered, so you can still sit outside without the fear of getting drenched. There are two more great spaces- the VIP room in the front that is completely private and can accommodate parties of up to 25 (at no additional charge) or the back bar area, with leather sofas and DJ station. Some nights the seating gets pushed aside and it becomes a mini-disco. Indus also has shisha available on the terrace. The amazing thing is that they manage all this without any airs or an attempt at being hip or trendy – it’s all about comfort and chill natural surroundings.

Indus can host large events, and nearly every week they are booked with some big event, like an Indian wedding (some with up to 400 guests!), corporate meetings (as they also can provide the basics to host them, like projectors and screens) and other celebrations. Because of this, diners are advised to make reservations, especially on the weekends, and may even want to do so for weekday lunches, as they’ll be ensured a nice table overlooking the garden.

Ahhh…and the food! A few things make Indus very special in terms of food—first that it is so light, healthy and delicious. The chefs, who hail from India and Pakistan— almost all of whom have been working at Indus since it opened-- do not use ghee, or clarified butter, in their carefully crafted dishes, so the food is not greasy or fattening.

Indus also offers a couple of special dishes that you won’t find at any other Bangkok Indian restaurant- one is their signature starter called Indie Fries, which are light and flaky chickpea battered okra fries- delicious! The other is their Kati Wraps, which are specialty rolls that are available in many varieties including chicken, paneer, lamb, and vegetable. Outside on the terrace, Indus also has a bread bar where diners can see the fresh, light breads being made in the special Tandoori oven. And, like most Indian eateries, Indus offers vegetarians numerous options—they are so good that even die-hard carnivores will not miss the meat.

In terms of ordering a great meal, its hard to go wrong, but here is a brief overview of the mustn’t misses: for starters, I’ve already mentioned the Indie Fries and the Kati Wrap, but two more outstanding dishes are the Pappali Chaat, made from chickpeas, potatoes, chutney and yogurt. It offers a foretaste of the mouth watering mix of high quality ground Indian spices you’ll find in your Indus meal. The Paneer Tikka is perfectly grilled and seasoned as well- mmmmmm good!

Indus offers several signature main courses. The Indus Rogan Josh is the best mutton dish on the menu and is chef Sonya’s signature dish, the recipe comes from Northern India and the lamb is tender and succulent- it pairs perfectly with Indus’ Garlic Naan. A meal at Indus wouldn’t be complete without also trying Kebab E-Malai, chicken marinated with fresh cheese and yogurt.

For fish aficionados, you’d be remiss not to order the Machli Tikka, a very soft and tender sea bass fillet marinated with aromatic herbs and spices. For dessert, there are two stand-outs- first, the Rasmalai, saffron flavored cottage cheese dumplings in milk syrup and for a little something special, try the Gulab Jamun, which are dumplings in sugar syrup, flambéd table-side- it is beautiful, fun and yummy!

Be sure to ask the wait-staff about the carefully considered wine selection, as they are extremely knowledgeable about pairings. They will be able to tell you the perfect blend of wine and a certain kebab or what platter pairs best with which wine. Indus offers 60 different wines from more than 12 countries. Diners can enjoy wine from all over the world including France, Australia, and Chile amongst others. They also have a full bar with a huge menu of classic and signature cocktails. Spirits are available by the bottle or by the glass. For tea-totters, be sure to try a mango lassi and their wonderful Indian Marsala Chai tea.

Indus has just begun an unbelievable new weekend brunch promotion. From 11am-3pm on Saturdays and Sundays, for just 490 baht, they offer an all you can eat brunch that is served right to your table—with over 50 items to choose from. This is the coolest alternative to the standard hotel brunch buffet I have come across yet.

Brunchers can order anything off the extensive special menu and in unlimited quantities—the menu has everything- it is a long menu and has all of Indus’ top dishes including BBQ items, Tandoori, breads, rices, curries, lentils, chicken marsala, desserts,…I could go on and on. (And, though I can’t imagine why you’d want to, diners still have the option of ordering off the regular menu during this time as well) Should you want to enjoy beverages with your meal as well, there is also the option of adding the beverage brunch to your order, which includes free flowing sparkling wine, and all you can drink juices, lassis and tea.

In August Indus will be featuring a new menu with many new offerings, including, for the first time, Indian-Chinese options. In cities all around India, Chinese cuisine is a favorite of Indian people. But it’s not to be confused with Chinese food you can get in China (or Bangkok-Chinese for that matter). It’s been adapted to Indian tastes and preferences, and for Indians living on the sub-continent, Indian-Chinese is their Chinese.

At the moment, it is very difficult to find here it in Bangkok, but this is set to change in the coming weeks when Indus unveils its latest creations—Chinese food the way Indians like it in India. Be sure to check back with ROB to learn more about the new dishes they’ll be offering in the coming weeks.

Indus offers delivery service and is available to cater for big parties and events, specializing in both indoor parties and outdoor catering. Indus has even done catering for the Prime Minister of India and his delegation on one of his visit to Thailand. They have completely mastered magnificent events—with one of the most exotic being a grand wedding event at which a pharmaceutical giant from Bangalore flew in 250 people from different parts of the world for his son's wedding for a themed dinner hosted at Indus.

The restaurant was completely transformed into a tropical rain forest, with live animals everywhere-- there was even a white tiger! Some guests played with and held tiger cubs, while others enjoyed Bollywood music while grooving to jungle beats being spun by Deejay Lil'B who was flown in from Mumbai especially for the event.

For those of you looking to enjoy a really great evening out with your significant other, friends, family or colleagues, I can guarantee they’ll think you’re the coolest for making reservations on behalf of your party at Indus.