A delightful, intimate, Indian dinner in Palermo, Buenos Aires…read more
For a truly delightful, intimate, Indian dinner I confidently suggest the ever-changing fixed-menu thali meals at Güngur (weekends) or the lunches (Monday through Thursday). Delightful, because each dish we tasted was flavorful, simple, and lovingly made. Intimate because there's a total of five tiny tables in a tiny space, nestled in-between the tiny kitchen, an airy dance studio space, and a charming clothing boutique, making a "little India" cultural space in a beautifully converted mansion. The clothing, the dance, and the food all intend to share the feeling of India, including classical traditional music and a modern mix named "India'n Beatles".
The restaurant, which opened in August 2014, is a labor of love for chef Rabindra Nath Jana, who served us last night. Reservations are a must, and are sometimes available same-day. Five tiny tables means a limited seating. Vegetarian meals available.
The lemonade we were handed after the menus was sweet and refreshing. The thali dinner consisted of an appetizer pollo (chicken) tikka marsala, mains of cordero (lamb) rogan josh and a biriyani, and a tasty, tasty dessert of rasmalai. (Hopefully we'll have the gulab jamun next time.)
Remember what I said about limited seatings? One couple seemed to have arrived on the wrong day, and wouldn't take no for an answer. Once we realized this, my love and I prepared to vacate our table when the couple who properly reserved a spot arrived. The timing was perfect: the doorbell rang, we told the chef we'd take a pot of chai on the floor of the dance studio, and the just-arrived couple had a place for them to enjoy their thali dinner.
An inexpensive meal, tasty and filling (and I'm not a small eater), a cozy setting, a bit of drama, and tasty chai enjoyed cross-legged on a dance studio floor. What's not to repeat?
