LOCATIONIn the heart of Adelaide’s gourmet Gouger Street.
PROFILED BY DE GROOTS MEDIAIndian chef Bishnu Kharel has taken residence in Adelaide’s former French Restaurant stalwart, La Guillotine. Curries have replaced cassoulets in a menu retaining the reputation of its predecessor. Kharel himself is a former Gouger Street neighbour, having been at the now-closed Indian Brassiere. It was there that world-renowned chef Cheong Liew recognised his work. Liew now books special event dinners at Kharel’s restaurant where he dines on the likes of whole goat and tandoori duck. The latter is Kharel’s signature dish and arrives plattered in majestic form. You can enjoy Kharel’s cooking under a lofty ceiling with exposed beams, where walls are neatly decorated with terracotta-coloured canvasses, or walk through to an undercover courtyard or venture upstairs for cosy balcony dining. All tables are well-dressed in crisp linen.
The Village’s menu is a journey through India’s culinary regions. The menu lists each main dish’s origins, and diners can’t help but leave with a greater appreciation of the cuisine. Moreton Bay bug masala (Delhi) is mysteriously described as “The Village’s best-kept secret”, while Kerala fish curry offers ingredients of mustard seeds and fresh curry leaves in the kingfish’s coconut cream sauce. Chicken 65 (Chennai) is typical of its region’s dry-fried cooking style, with a crispy golden skin anointed with coriander seeds and pepper. Nine lentil dhal is winning fans fast; the nine garlic-infused pulses are likely to make this version of the dish the best you’ve ever had. The wine list complements the complexity of the menu; you may like to raise some French Chablis or a Bombay Sapphire gin martini to toast a fine addition to Adelaide’s respected Indian restaurant community.
Roz Taylor