We are fortunate in Marin to have a bevy of Indian restaurants to choose from, each one touting a different style of cooking from that colorful country. Batika India Bistro ranks high among them with a menu of favorites mainly from the north of the country, a relaxing interior and a lovely patio for outside dining.
The word “batika” in Hindi means orchard or garden, which conveys multiple things about this restaurant. The chef uses a host of seasonal vegetables and fruits to embroider the tapestry of the menu.
The garden is carried out into the large patio adjoining the restaurant and that fronts Grant Street. Tables with comfortable seating, a tinkling fountain and pots of flowering plants add ambiance. Colorful umbrellas help to shade the area during bright days and create a welcoming environment. Even on my visit, a cloudy, cool day, a couple of diners chose to sit out there.
The interior is a soothing mix of mottled beige walls hung with Indian handicrafts and mirrors, tables covered with crisp white cloths and red and gold curtains that define the windows and kitchen area. A serene altar with the Hindu god Ganesha greets you at the door.
The menu is full of many familiar dishes as well as some more unusual items that were intriguing. The classic mulligatawny soup ($4.75) is a throwback from English colonial days that you don’t see on many Indian menus in the U.S. The steaming bowl was creamy yellow with a coconut milk broth that was fortified by whole mustard seed, curry leaves and asafetida. Florets of cauliflower and broccoli, thin slices of sweet carrots and chunks of zucchini punctuated the soup, which was grounded by lentils and basmati rice. It was nourishing and displayed the chef’s penchant for using seasonal produce.
Onion pakoras ($4.25) had a breadier coating then other versions I’ve tried but the chickpea batter had a nutty flavor and, with each bite, seemed to taste better and better. The chef uses young green onions in the pakoras, which provide a light spring flavor.
A trio of condiments was delivered to the table that complemented all the dishes. A tangy, sweet tamarind sauce added depth to the pakoras while spicy yogurt cilantro chutney was punched up with chilies. House-made pickles with cauliflower, carrots and jalapeno completed the trio and contributed sour, crunchy and spicy elements.
The breads of India are a big draw for many, and Batika offers a nice selection. Garlic naan, fresh and hot from the tandoor oven, released the perfume of the stinking rose as we tore off pieces and dipped them in the cilantro chutney. Aloo paratha, a wheat bread filled with potato and spices and pan-fried, was less successful, with a heavy greasiness and bland flavor that even the tamarind couldn’t enhance.
The menu is loaded with curries, vegetarian as well as seafood, poultry and meat. A simple chana masala ($9.75), while not out of the ordinary, was a tasty dish with a blend of onions, tomatoes and spices bathing the hearty garbanzo beans. A good dollop of mango chutney ($2.95) helped to cool and add a sweet counterpart.
There are five chicken curries offered at Batika, including the classics butter chicken ($12.75) and tikka masala ($13.50). We decided on the spicy chicken vindaloo ($12.75), a curry from the Konkan region of the western coast of India, well known for fiery cuisine. This was a tamer version, with just enough heat to have us reaching for the mango chutney and tamarind sauce to douse the flames in our mouths.
Plain basmati rice ($2.50) was an essential side dish, providing worthy grains that helped to mop up the precious sauce from the curries. Batika offers a saffron version ($2.95) as well as coconut rice ($3.95) with mustard seed, curry leaves, lentils and coconut, a dish I can’t wait to order next time I visit.
I love a good cup of chai ($2.95) and Batika blends its own with black tea leaves and a host of spices that is brewed then topped off with milk. It was a warming cup that helped to take the chill off the day and get me ready to face the afternoon.
There is a midday “all you can eat” lunch buffet ($9.95) that includes some of the classic curries, rice and breads; plenty of patrons were taking advantage of that with gusto. A weekend brunch ($9.95) features a similar buffet with an egg dish or two and a glass of Champagne.
Our servers were good at spacing the dishes, bringing soup and appetizers first and then the main courses. It’s difficult to savor a meal when everything comes out together so I appreciated their attention to this detail as well as keeping water glasses filled as the heat of the dishes zapped taste buds.
Batika India Bistro combines all the charms of the garden it is named after with seasonal produce incorporated into classic preparations served in a soothing atmosphere both in the dining room as well as on the inviting patio outside the door.
Brooke Jackson is a freelance food writer, blogger and recipe consultant. Send her an email at ij.brookejackson@gmail.com.
