Until recently, I had not been a big fan of Indian cuisine having had a very bad experience some years ago which lead to several days in bed and a severe weight loss !!
However, my faith has now been restored thanks to this wonderful restaurant where the food, the staff, the service and the location are all delightful.
It was a stroke of luck which led us to Bindi’s whilst participating in the Siren’s Tapas and Tipple event in December. These monthly events, based in Santa Catalina allow you to try six different restaurants where you just have a small tapa and a drink. We could instantly tell that Bindi’s was quality and served Indian food with a difference.
Bindi’s is owned and run by partners Bindu and Patryk, first opening their doors 14 months ago. Neither had prior experience of running restaurants, making this success even more surprising. Bindu puts their success down to their raw ingredients and how they are blended, using stone ground spices and absolutely everything is homemade, including their own Paneer Cheese.
Her other big asset is her Chef, Naresh. She says that he is the heart of the restaurant. Having been let down by several chefs just prior to opening Bindi, she nearly gave up on the idea and it was only the persistence of Naresh in asking to be given a chance to cook for Bindu and her mum as a test that he was hired ! They were both mightily impressed.
Bindi is a new concept of Indian cuisine where the combination of fresh products and traditional spices fuse together to create exquisite and original dishes. These are dishes that you do not readily find in most Indian restaurants, as she offers a mix of northern and southern Indian specialities.
The Thali is one such dish. Thali is the name of the actual plate that is used to serve lunches. Thali is a stainless steel plate on which are placed small bowls, each bowl contains different types of curries, a raita which is a yoghurt with vegetables, a portion of rice, a type of bread such as puri or roti, a starter and a dessert. This is served as her daily lunch for an amazing 15 euros. Thalis are served all around India and each region has its own speciality
Another new dish to us, and is my personal favourite, is the Dosa. Dosa is a fermented crepe or pancake made from rice batter and black lentils. It is a staple dish in the South of India. In the South of India Dosa is commonly eaten as breakfast dish. Dosa can also be found in the North of India here it is most commonly served either as a lunch or evening dish. It is similar to a Mexican fajitas dish and can be made with the meat of your choice and to your own level of spiceyness.
There are also a few old favourites on the menu, like Tandoori, Biryani’s, Rogan Josh and Onion Bhajis etc , but it’s their speciality dishes from the different regions of India which sets them apart from the norm.
Another speciality for the summer months is a great range of cocktails all made from the raw ingredients including a Strawberry and Passion Fruit Daiquiri, a Watermelon Cocktail and fabulous Mojito’s.
Bindu and Patrick are great hosts, and have created a very unique venue with simple but tasteful décor, and also have a great terrace for the summer month’s right by the Santa Catalina Church., where those cocktails go down a treat !
