Ambrosia India Bistro -- Monterey, CA (Indian cuisine)

When I think of Monterey and the surrounding area, I think of beaches, the ocean and seafood. When I decided to try this restaurant, I was not expecting to have some seafood and also land food, in dishes with modern and traditional touches that were a bit outside the norm. 

Located at 565 Abrego Street, this meal became a very pleasant surprise. The service was friendly and the atmosphere was calming with tropical decor, but the flavors of everything I tasted became the primary focus of my experience.



https://monterey.ambrosiaib.com


Here are some of the things I've enjoyed.

Chutney. The green cilantro sauce was familiar and a standard offering. This was a fresh and zesty version without too much garlic. As was the Tamarind sauce, which was nicely balanced with sweet and sour. The pickled vegetables in tomato sauce, however, was like nothing I've ever seen or tried from an Indian restaurant. It had a wonderful toothsome but flexible crunch, perfectly seasoned and packed with umami from the fermented, cooked down tomatoes. I ended up asking for extra two times during my meal, and the staff ended up kindly sending me home with a small container of this with my leftovers. These were some of the tastiest pickles I've ever eaten. 

Chicken 65. Perhaps spiced for the regional palate, these were well seasoned and fragrant, but not as spicy as I've encountered from other restaurants. The boneless chicken thigh pieces were marinated in a blend of smoked spices, lightly passed through a wet batter, then flash fried with curry leaves until juicy on the inside and lightly crisp on the outside. Served with fresh bell peppers, lemon and onion, this was a small but delightful appetizer.

Samosa (outside). These golden pockets of potato and peas included homemade pastry and fried until perfectly flaky and crisp. Served with a fresh vegetable garnish and signature chutneys, these were also a very delicious starter.

Samosa (inside). The potatoes were soft, fluffy and seasoned with fragrant herbs and spices. 

Butter Naan. The classic leavened bread, quickly fired in a tandoor oven and brushed with melted gee. This bread came out of the kitchen piping hot, had a wonderful, toasty aroma with a bit of crisp on the outside and was chewy and soft on the inside.  

Trio Lamb Kebab. This platter included lamb, three ways. The Royal Gosht kebab, which was minced lamb cooked on a skewer, tender lamb chop and Seekh Kebab, which was also minced meat. Each piece was marinated in aromatic spices and grilled to perfection.

Kandhari Prawn Curry. This was my favorite dish, besides the pickles. These were succulent jumbo prawns simmered in a creamy coconut-based curry sauce with aromatic spices. The sauce was thick, but not gloppy, it had a strong coconut flavor and included coconut milk as well as dried pieces of coconut. I wanted to drink this sauce. 

In an area without a lot of Indian people, I was very impressed with all the dishes at this restaurant. I was even more impressed with the chef, who I learned was not ethnically Indian, but was able to learn how to make Indian food and then added his own touches to create these unique and memorable dishes. I will definitely visit this restaurant again the next time I'm in the area.