I went to Amaya for lunch one day, pretty much as a fluke, and I was absolutely delighted. It’s a large restaurant, with a nice warm bar by the door, lots of natural light and cooking happening on the far walls. There is also an extensive specialty drink list, both alcoholic and non--I’ll have to go back to try some out--and everything on the menu looked so good, I ended up getting a veritable veggie feast.

My meal started with a slightly spicy green mango and papaya salad, which I really enjoyed. Once I was done with the salad, though, it seemed like the dishes just kept coming out! There was some paneer tikka, which is always one of my favorites, and a great fig and vegetable patty and some sweet potatoes with sauce. There was also some broccoli with a yogurt sauce, which was my least favorite dish — the broccoli was a bit overcooked and it was a much larger quantity than any of the other dishes, which was just incongruous and unappetizing to look at. There were some stuffed little chilies that I really liked, which were surprisingly sweet, no hot, and there was a veggie roll of some sort.

The dishes were all served with a side of chutneys--one rhubarb and one tomato, which were both really delicious, and a peanutty spice powder and a rose and lavender powder, which was wonderful. All the dishes were presented really beautifully as well, on plates of various shapes in white ceramic and glass.

There was also some grilled mango and a sort of passionfruit smoothie for dessert, which were nice and refreshing.

Overall, a very extravagant lunch, but a fantastic, relaxing experience. It was nice to feel welcomed and taken care of as a single diner. I can’t wait to go back for dinner and to bring friends along to share.