Restaurant Review - Ananda
Wednesday 05 April 2023
I’m always insanely jealous when I meet wiry eager-beaver types who tell me they’ve trekked the banks of the Nile or scaled the lower slopes of Mount Everest solo, and how much better it was travelling alone, encountering more people without the encumbrance of a partner. I suppose I’m just a self-conscious coward, though, because I don’t enjoy going solo, not even while dining, stuck in a book between forkfuls of food, nodding at the waiter to discreetly bring the second glass of wine. I like a bit of company and repartee over the old prawn scampi and plonk. As far as I’m concerned, the social experience and atmosphere are as important as what’s on the plate.
However, in a recent burst of bravery, I embarked on a solo passage across India (its cuisine, anyway), inspired by Asheesh Dewan’s childhood railway journey from Trivandrum in Kerala to Dharamshala in Delhi. In those glorious days of yesteryear, Asheesh tells us, the most prestigious trains in India had restaurants and dining cars, run with pride and flair, each proudly serving its own distinctive regional cuisine along with some continental fare. Luckily, I only had to travel as far as his fabulous Ananda restaurant in the penthouse at Dundrum Town Centre.
lucindaosullivan.com
First Published In The Sunday Independent