New and Notable: Dosti Tandoor Grill and Mixology

Translating to “friendship” in Hindi, Dosti Tandoor Grill and Mixology is a playful new Indian restaurant inside the former west-end location of Guru Kitchen and Bar. It’s designed for groups to gather over shared plates and a broad drink menu that includes a global selection of wines and cocktails — arguably the centrepiece of the menu.

Inspired by South Asian spices and spirits of India (think: black cardamom, chai amchoor and paan-infused shochu), head mixologist Andrew Wood expertly balances chai with rum and tequila with Rooh Afza (a rose-flavoured syrup), and he makes a mean Masala Martini with curry leaf vermouth.

But as someone who doesn’t drink (much) my attention was on the food, which has been reimagined as more traditional than modern Indian cuisine. The Dosti cauliflower, marinated in a bright red chili garlic sauce, was fiery, as promised, and a perfect punchy start to my meal. To cool my taste buds, I moved on to a plate of delicately crispy-fried prawn pakoras dipped in a mint-cilantro chutney.

On to the main course, the slow-cooked, saffron-infused chicken biryani was coated in a smoky layer of spices, the heat of which was tempered by a base of hearty basmati rice.

My friend and I tried two desserts, which strays from the traditional theme, in favour of an east-meets-west fusion. We started with gulab jamun tiramisu, which was unlike any tiramisu I’d had before. It was better — less cinnamon, more rose. The gulab jamun, a milk-based dough ball soaked in syrup, was topped with a fluffy mousse and sprinkled with pistachios.

The second dessert, a coconut panna cotta topped with mango puree and wrapped in a flaky pie crust, was a lighter, well-rounded finish to our feast.

Correction: An earlier version of this article incorrectly described Dosti Tandoor Grill and Mixology as a rebrand of Guru Kitchen and Bar. The two restaurants are not affiliated whatsoever. Dosti is a new restaurant with different owners and concept. The article has been updated, and we apologize to the owners of both establishments for the error.