Sitara for upscale Indian cuisine

Nigel suggested Sitara, his assistant Rhoda agreed to accompany me and, courtesy the Lincoln Continental and driver Steve, who our bookseller assigned to be my chauffeur for the day, we set forth for the completely (from the last time I visited it) unrecognisable Gulf City Mall parking lot and Sitara, an upmarket Indian restaurant in a new building between the By-Pass and the Mall proper.

We nibbled crisp flour ‘chips’ with chutney (we recommend the tamarind) while, with a little help from the Maitre’d we chose starters and main course.

“Aaaah!” we both exclaimed as I tasted my first mouthful of vegetable kebab and Rhoda her chicken kebab.

How to describe that first taste? It was Lucullan, a poem of subtle herbs and spices with the merest hint of pepper — as we requested, for neither of us like pepper, preferring to taste the main ingredients rather than fiery spices.

It’s no exaggeration to state I’d drive to San Fernando — and back — myself any day for another dish of those vegetablekebabs, followed by chicken kebabs with garlic Naan as a main course.

I eyed my main course of Shrimp Biryani with some dismay thinking I couldn’t possibly eat all that — nor could I. Rhoda who, like me, is accustomed to a light lunch and a main meal later in the day, also quailed when she saw her Murgh Tikka Masala.

I realised I’d made a mistake ordering Pineapple Raita with the Biryani, the Biryani was good, but the pineapple didn’t meld with the flavour of shrimp.

And when I tasted Rhoda’s Murgh (chicken) Tikka Masala I wished I’d ordered that for it was as subtle and tempting to the tongue as our kebabs. Oh, well, you can’t win them all, I’ll know next time — and, maybe, starve for a day or three beforehand in order to do full justice to a meal of vegetable kebabs and Murgh Tikka Masala.

It takes some time to prepare the kebabs so, since time was of the essence for us both, instead of dessert I had a refreshing strawberry lassee (if that’s the right way to spell it) and Rhoda fresh pineapple juice. I’d hoped for a Carib with my lunch, entirely forgetting that Sitara is an authentic Indian restaurant and, as such, does not serve alcohol.

However, a final treat was a spoonful of — I know not what to call the seeds of anise and betel with a hint of mint that were a surprising, and welcome change from the after dinner mints of most restaurants.

Our verdict on Sitara? Certainly A plus, the ambience quiet and pleasant in the midst of the mall, the staff helpful and the food — take me back there any day — I’ll even drive to San Fernando myself for a next taste of Sitara’s vegetable kebabs.