Lotus Indian opens in Canberra with London-trained chefs
The Lotus, run by chefs trained in London's top restaurants, has opened in Griffith with standout curry mains but mixed early courses.
The Lotus has opened at the former Aubergine site in Griffith, run by two chefs with serious credentials from London. Mandeep Dhaka cooked at Amaya in Knightsbridge, a Michelin-starred Indian restaurant, while Surena came up through the Dorchester Collection before they moved to the Southern Highlands in 2017.
The dining room is intimate with black leather, low lighting and a scatter of porcelain elephants, though an incongruous blue bug zapper sits nearby. First courses were inconsistent.
The aubergine starter was well-cooked but its toppings (feta, sun-dried tomato, mango salsa) didn't work together, while the black pepper chicken tikka came undercooked and was sent back. The mains shone.
The lehsuni palak paneer, with thick cottage cheese in a deep spinach purée finished with cumin and ghee, stood out. The lamb rogan josh featured a dark Kashmiri sauce with fennel and dried ginger.
Desserts and sides landed cleanly. The kitchen clearly has talent but needs to bring early courses up to the level of the mains.
- Mandeep Dhaka (Amaya, Knightsbridge)
- Head chef
- Griffith Shops, former Aubergine site
- Location
- $22.99
- Aubergine starter
Why it mattersA new Indian restaurant with serious pedigree arrives in Canberra, though consistency across the menu needs work.
AustraliaCanberra diners now have a new Indian option from chefs with Michelin-starred experience, though it is still finding its feet.
✓ Claims checked against the source and corrected before publish. checked 2 h ago
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