If you're single or ever have been (which logically
encompasses every last one of us), then at some point you've likely hit the
nightlife scene looking for someone special. Selecting a mate is like selecting
an unfamiliar meal: the menu is dauntingly large, presentation can be
deceiving, promising potential winds up undercooked, and sometimes the quality
of the goods just isn't worth the price. But you keep coming back because every
so often stars align, heavenly choirs sing, and you find your hunger finally,
blissfully sated.
Likewise, to say the menu at Mantra brings the goods with
total consistency would be a little insincere, and it's not completely
surprising given the menu's breadth: it encompasses dozens of selections
between its recently added $2 tapas menu, naan bar, and multiple courses of
both French-Indian fusion and traditional Indian cuisine. But by the time you
read this, Mantra should already have instituted a few promising plans to
streamline that massive menu and transform the upper floor's layout from a more
formal dining room feel to a casual lounge vibe. Regardless, even if we're not
ready to commit to every item on the menu, there are a few selections that had
us saying "I do" on the first date.
From the new $2 tapas menu, we went straight for a dollop of
greenmarket apple and jicama salad, ribbon-sliced bites of fresh fruit and
Mexican yam dressed in strawberry-tamarind vinaigrette. On the naan bar menu,
we couldn't resist trying the watermelon and goat cheese kebab ($8), two slices
of skewered melon sandwiching fine goat cheese, dressed with honey and onion
seed vinaigrette and served on a bed of endive. Admittedly, the mishmash of
flavors sounded like a hot mess - but the actual result is a deliciously
crafted sequence of flavors that slowly reveal themselves in layers (who
doesn't like a little intrigue in their dinner date?). On the other hand,
you'll want to dive headfirst into a relationship with the chili mussels ($12),
ecstatically digging at meaty mussels slathered inside and out with a spicy
tequila and green chili sauce. For a main course, hit on the spiced pomegranate
crusted tuna ($28). The hefty steak is flanked with a bed of lemon corn and
tomato chutney, two companions that serve as hot, spicy wingmen that still
never distract from the main course.
We can't vouch for the swinging singles that populate this
perennial party spot, but if it's your palate seeking affection, it's nice to
know you can hit the dining room before the dance floor to find a few true
loves.
