Los Angeles - August 22, 2002

The Pleasure's All Yours. . .

Tantra Restaurant Opens

You’ve got to hand it to India. Not every culture can survive monsoons, British rule, and constant co-opting by fashion-obsessed pop icons. And it’s not just that; Americans can’t seem to get enough of yoga, bindhis, saris, mehndi, and, more recently, Bollywood. Now there’s Tantra.

No, not that “tantra.” (Smutbrain: If you don’t already know what it is, do yourself a favor — hit the dictionary.) This Tantra is a new restaurant in Silver Lake created by the owners of India Oven. Located in an old theater house, the space is cavernous and swathed in a mix of vibrant earth tones.

Chef Sukha Dubb was inspired by the contemporary Indian cuisine invented by Michelin-starred London cook Vineet Bhatia, so we’re not just talking curry and tandoori. Try poached scallops in a coconut-lemon broth with masala mashed potatoes; lamb and basmati rice, baked in a flaky crust; and chicken with saffron rice in cashew sauce. It’s likely to be packed, but the lounge is swell — particularly when armed with a Bombay Smash.

A restaurant with its very own “It” drink: Now, that’s a place after our hearts.

Tantra, 3705 Sunset Boulevard, at Edgecliffe Drive (323-663-TANTRA).