As previously published in Daily Local News.
Santosh and Priya Ravindran have brought a metropolitan feel to Downingtown with their new Bangles Indian Cuisine. Located in the Ashbridge Shopping Center, Bangles presents delectable and spicy Indian dishes served by a well-trained staff in a contemporary setting.
Santosh and Priya are originally from the Southern Indian state of Kerala, though their inspiration for Bangles derives not just from their homeland, but also from the excellent Indian dining experiences they’ve had in cities such as New York, Chicago and San Francisco.
“We wanted to create a good Indian restaurant, a sit-down space with ambiance and excellent service,” Santosh explained during a recent lunch. He mentioned his delight when a customer recently compared Bangles to a New York City restaurant they admired. “We’ve always enjoyed sitting down and having a nice meal,” Priya told me.
The inside of Bangles is modern, spacious and elegant, with soothing brown damask wallpaper and plush seats. The two dining rooms are separated by a wall of windows decorated with both sheer curtains. “Our friend is an architect in India,” Santosh said, “and he designed the space for us.” The two separate rooms provide flexibility to host parties while still serving the day’s customers.
As we perused the menu, a waiter set down Papadum rice chips, along with an assortment of dipping sauces. “Our chef came from San Francisco, though he is originally from Southern India,” Santosh said. “We want to blend Northern and Southern Indian cuisine. We hope to update the menu a bit every two months.”
We started lunch with a delightful roasted fennel curry leaf soup, a surprisingly complex pureed soup flavored with curry leaf and a hint of coconut milk. My dining partner tried the honey gem mango feta cheese salad, which was beautifully prepared with bright watermelon radishes.
My main course was the lamb pepper fry. The tender lamb was perfectly spicy, served with onions, tomatoes, garlic, ginger and mint. A side of lemon rice helped quell the heat. A side plate of Raita, a yogurt cream sauce, also brought in a coolness that paired well with the lamb.
My dining partner tried the paneer and peas dosa, and I was lucky enough to try one of these finger foods. Dosa is a rice and lentil crepe rolled up with different fillings. Ours was filled with cottage cheese, fresh peas and cilantro. If you are bringing the kids, the plain or cheese dosa will end up being their favorite. The dosas come with a a few dipping sauces such as chutneys and sambar.
I also sampled the madrash fish curry, made with tilapia simmered and served with shallots, tomatoes, garlic, coconut and curry leaves and a side of basmati rice. Santosh told me this is his favorite. It was a tender, flaky fish with plentiful heat.
For dessert we tried a coconut and fennel custard, a fennel-infused coconut flan that was the perfect note to finish off this spicy meal. The custard was topped with gold ribbon made of sugar, a beautiful presentation.
Bangles is a BYOB, and a liquor store is conveniently located in the shopping center. Santosh recommends light white wines when enjoying Indian cuisine. His top-three wine suggestions are Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc and Riesling.
Santosh and Priya told me they wanted to create an Indian restaurant that is distinctly different from others in the local area. “We did not want to offer a buffet. We do offer a platter which has 13 different items and gives people a sampling if they wish.”
When asked what’s been the focus in their first month, Priya explained, “Training our servers has been a huge focus. We have done elaborate training, giving them tastings each day so they understand Indian cuisine and talk knowledgeably with diners.”
Bangles Indian Cuisine is located in Ashbridge Shopping Center at 889 E. Lancaster Ave., Downingtown, PA. (610) 269-9600. They are open for lunch Tuesdays through Sundays from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. and dinner from 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Closed Mondays.
You can follow Bangles Indian Cuisine on Twitter or Facebook.
