There are several things that set India’s Pearl, a new Indian sit-down restaurant on the blazing-hot South Pearl Street strip, apart from other area South Asian restaurants.
One is its extensive wine list, much of it big, red and Californian.
Surprised? Don’t be.
While pairing Indian food with wine is perhaps out of the norm for most Indian restaurants, it’s not exactly radical. Restaurants including Tabla and Tamarind in New York and Dosa in San Francisco have been proving for years that Indian food works beautifully with wine.
And not just Gewürztraminer.
Granted, I tend to gravitate toward beer when I’m out for Indian food, but maybe that’s just because most Indian restaurants have wine lists that are anemic at best. That, and beer works so excellently with Indian food anyway.
But it was refreshing to find myself perusing the wine list at India’s Pearl, happily tasked with selecting an accompaniment for the venison in red pepper sauce.
I settled on a robust Australian shiraz, gambling that, instead of a faintly sweet riesling to absorb the impending spice, I’d instead bolster my tastebuds with something brawny enough to go toe-to-toe with the dish.
And it worked, beautifully complementing the venison and creating, perhaps, one of the most rewarding combinations I’ve had this year. The soft, sweetly-gamey meat in its abundant, peppery scarlet-velvet bath, was tamed by the aggressively unctuous wine, creating a Franco-Australo-Indian mouthful that I was loath to swallow.
The venison was a high note, bolstered by solid counterpoint from the fragrant, spice-filled (but not hot) lamb saag, meaty chunks of lamb in a deeply layered nage of spinach and cream. Clearly designed to be shared, the dish is easily finished by a solo diner, the last of the sauce mopped up by the naan.
Bright and lively, the tropical mango chicken was a seamless marriage of fruit and savory.
Less successful dishes: The yogurt-marinated pheasant, which featured tough meat and wimpy spices, and the mushroom matar, besotted with mushy ‘shrooms.
Also a problem at India’s Pearl: Uneven service. Over four visits, I’ve encountered service from slow but harmless to scattered and rude.
And given the scope of this wine list, it would only improve the experience for the staff to learn and know the characteristics of the wines. Given the potential challenges of wine-pairing with Indian food (most of us are novices in the exercise), the level of knowledge and helpfulness available tableside has been disappointingly low. Assistance from a knowledgeable wine professional is one of the great pleasures of dining in wine-centric restaurants; when the knowledge curve is as steep as it is at India’s Pearl, there should be more available wisdom at the ready.
The rumor mill (which included my most recent server) says that India’s Pearl will be revamping its vast menu to make it more readable. At the moment, the hundreds of options are printed in type so small it’s only barely discernible, even to youthful eyes. Here’s hoping the next incarnation is at least 10-point type.
Located where it is, you’d expect India’s Pearl to have a bustling bar scene, and it does not disappoint. Up the stairs is a lounge where on weeknights you can enjoy a cardamom martini in peace, whereas on weekends you’ll be subjected to belly dancing.
Which, I suppose, is good fun if you’re one who likes belly dancing with your cardamom martini.
Here’s something special: lunch. Tablecloths are cleared for the much more casual lunchtime hour, which, if you come on the right day (call ahead) features a $9 thali special of a dozen dishes, including two desserts and a generous basket of naan. You won’t need an afternoon snack after this, although you might need a nap.
Especially if you’ve paired it with a glass of wine.
Tucker Shaw: dining@denverpost.com
India’s Pearl
Indian. 1475 S. Pearl St., 303-777-1533,
** 1/2 RATING | Very Good, Great
Atmosphere: Comfortable, pleasantly lighted room with windows onto Pearl Street. Bar upstairs.
Service: Occasionally saddled with system kinks.
Wine: Extensive list comprising all colors and regions, emphasis on California.
Plates: Starters, $3.95-$9.95; entrees $10.95-$24.95
Hours: Lunch: 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Monday-Saturday. Dinner: 5-10 p.m. seven days.
Details: Reservations accepted, recommended on weekends. Street parking, valet parking. Wheelchair accessible. Lunch specials. Belly dancing on weekends.
Four visits
Our star system:
****: Exceptional
***: Great
**: Very Good
*: Good
No Stars: Needs work
