Taking the headline Hot Plates quite literally we present these two dishes with kick from Melbourne CBD’s Indian hot spot, Tonka.

This popular city restaurant serves classic Indian food with modern finesse in a fine dining atmosphere with white linen and proper glassware at the end of a grungy, slightly seedy back alley off Flinders Lane. Tonka manages to get away with seemingly incongruous themes and ideas: Indian and fine dining; chilli and fine wine; a beautiful dining room overlooking Flinders Street off a dirty dead-end lane. Tonka chef Adam D’Sylva is himself the result of a bespoke union: his father was Indian and his mother was Italian. ‘At the dinner table we had pasta and curry and rice,’ he says with a cheeky grin. ‘I thought that was normal.’

We start with the panipuri. This is a popular snack in India and literally means ‘water bread’ as spiced ‘pani’ or water is poured into a hole in the top of the hollow, deep-fried puri. The puri is filled with cold, spiced potato, date and tamarind chutney and coriander. Over this the diner pours the pani, flavoured with dried mango, mint, coriander and chilli. The result is a crunchy crack in the mouth as the crisp puri gives way to the smooth potato and one’s mouth is filled with sweet, sour, salty and hot sensations. The sommelier suggests an Austrian Riesling, which goes surprisingly well with such an outlandish dish.

Next dish is a rich Rajasthani duck that, when presented at the table, perfumes the air with a pillow of rich aromas. The sauce is actually a smoked blend of star anise, onion, chilli and mustard oil. It has a long, strong punch without being unpleasant – more of a nuanced sensation. The duck itself is super succulent, having been slowly cooked in buttermilk seasoned with white pepper and salt. The cooking juices from the duck are incorporated into the buttermilk, which is then used to enrich the sauce. The accompaniments of cucumber and buffalo milk curd finish the dish with a cooling tang. The wine served with it was a Dr Mayer Riesling Kabinett Trocken 2012, a departure from a wine list dominated by Italians. Tonka is a great package highlighted by these two great dishes – classic Indian cuisine given a little ‘Melbourne polish’. Some have called it The Press Club of Indian.

Open Mon-Sat noon-3pm, 6pm-10.30pm
20 Duckboard Place, Melbourne
Tel 03 9650 3155,
www.tonkarestaurant.com.au

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