In what's surely one of our favorite trends, both Jonathan Gold and S. Irene Virbila again throw down simultaneous first peeks at a new restaurant. This week: Tanzore, the uber-contemporary Indian newcomer in the former Gaylord space on La Cienega's restaurant row. The Eater/Hell's Kitchen party a couple weeks ago awarded us with some tasty nibbles, so it's not surprising that both critics think it's headed in the right direction.
MISS IRENE: "But a few tastes of the food and I stop. The very astute cooking might be less scorching hot than, say, a Goan vindaloo, but it is not lacking in flavor. And most of the dishes are much better than the menu descriptions imply." [LAT]
J. GOLD: "With the exception of a couple of places in London and Floyd Cardoz’s Tabla in New York City, restaurants that attempt to combine Indian flavors with Western menu structures tend not to work especially well. Big protein is generally overwhelmed by the strong flavors, tiring the palate; if not, the spicing often seems tame. But there is a lot to recommend about Tanzore’s menu, which features mostly Indian dishes with Western twists." [LA Weekly]
Both tread lightly as the preview reviews are ususally based on one visit, and there was nothing in Miss Irene's review about the cardamom-chocolate cake both she (we hear) and we thought was too cardamom-y. But showcasing the positive so early bodes well for the restaurant.
· Indian food meant to sizzle [LAT]
· Tandoor at the heart [LA Weekly]
· Hell's Kitchen Winner Reveal [~ELA~]
