Nisheeth Tak’s luxurious Indian restaurant, upstairs above the Eagle Pub in lovely Glasthule, is a classy operation. One’s initial reaction to the glamorous, comfortable room is confirmed by cooking that is ambitious, impressive and beautifully executed. The kitchen offers dishes collected from the subcontinent: Baigun cheese bhaja from Kolkotta; tandoori quail from Haryana; gosht awadh from Awadh; safaed maans from Rajasthan – so one can embark on a grand culinary tour that tempts, teases and intoxicates.
The result of this judicious cherry picking is a menu that is far removed from the conventional, inauthentic Indian cooking which is so widespread in Ireland: Rasam is all about authenticity, subtlety, the culture of the great cooking of India. Rasam has consistently been the choice of food writers in Dublin for many years, and the writers also admire the fact that Mr Tak has for so many years been ahead of the curve, directing his restaurants with imperious understatement, sympathy and quiet, confident control.
