This particular mid-Market address has seen quite a bit of turnover over the years. It was once former city supervisor Chris Daly's Buck Tavern for a couple of years, then a Japanese restaurant called Shido for the next three years, and for a long stretch just prior to this iteration, Spice of America, a South Asian restaurant, which I liked a lot. According to one of the current owners, this restaurant has been operating for just two weeks.
I walked in late this afternoon, their only customer until I finished my meal. They offer quite a robust menu with two pages of breakfast choices, another two pages of lunch and dinner options, and pages devoted to appetizers, desserts, and drinks. I zeroed in on their lunch bowls and decided on the $20 Bharta of Eggplant (Photo 9). It was a well executed version of fire-roasted eggplant mashed up with a spicy masala. The flavor was nice and smoky.
The owner kindly came over before the dish arrived and offered complimentary servings of chopped veggie salad (Photo 10) and jasmine rice (Photo 6). The combination helped vary the texture and flavor of the umami-rich eggplant. They offer alternatives to soft drinks, so I ordered a refreshing $9 glass of Lemonade (Photo 8). It was a modest meal on my part, but given the enticing vegan selections, I'm sure I'll be back again.
FOOD - 4 stars...the bharta was creamy and flavorful, just a tad pricey for the portion
AMBIANCE - 4 stars...quite spacious, especially when it's empty
SERVICE - 4.5 stars...nice to receive the owner's attention
TOTAL - 4 stars...a much-needed vegetarian option with a pan-Asian palate
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