Amber Dhara, Valencia Street's Biggest Restuarant, Is Now Open

680 Valencia Street, The Mission
Phone: (415) 932-6193
Status: Certified Open
Indian restaurateur Vijay Bist has opened his sixth business, Amber Dhara on Valencia Street. At a whopping 6,000 square feet, the restaurant is the largest on the street—with room for nearly 300 people. The menu, prepared by new India import Arindam Bahel , includes small plates for $6 to $13, items from the tandoor for $12 to $24, and entrees for $14 to $19. Items range from the not-so-Indian sounding grilled zucchini blossoms with mizuna, tatsoi, peaches and goat cheese to the very-Indian sounding Karavali prawns in coconut curry. There are also some quite modern-sounding dishes like a deconstructed butter chicken, along with substantial bread offerings from the tandoor, and sides, including aged basmati rice and raita.

Signature cocktails fall into three categories: Ayurvedic, American, or Latin. Sake, wine, bottled beer, and three beers on tap complete the list. Check out the menu below, courtesy of Inside Scoop.

SMALL PLATES

Grilled Zucchini Blossom | Mizuna, tatsoi, peaches, goat cheese, cilantro-lime vinaigrette 6
Samosa | Potato & green pea dumplings 6
Organic Quinoa & Pistachio Salad | Cucumber & capers 7
Green Moong Tikki | Gallets of minced moong beans, fresh mint, Awadhi spices 7
Cilantro Fingers | Maharashtrian-style fresh cilantro, coriander seeds, chickpea flour 6
Goat Cheese Naan | Leavened bread, sour cream, fennel, pine nuts and zatar 7
Baluchi Baingan | Batter-fried eggplant, tomato-orange chutney, garlic sour cream 6
Steamed Mussels in Coconut Cream | Ginger, curry leaves, tomatoes 11
Scallops | Israeli couscous, moong lentil kichdi, basil chutney 12
Roasted Pimiento Garlic Chicken Kebab | Tandoor roasted 9
Duck ke Parchey | Pan-seared duck skewers 12
Masala Ojhari on Paratha | Spiced pork belly, leavened bread 10
Venison Chapli Kebab | Freshly toasted spices, flattened and grilled 13

TANDOOR
(Indian Clay Pot Oven)
Tandoor Kebabs served with side salad & chutney

Chili Garlic Paneer Tikka | Slow-roasted cottage cheese kebabs 14
Portobello Mushroom Chatpatta | Spice-infused, tandoor grilled 12
Atishi Prawn Tikka | Chili pickle, yogurt and Mexican Bay tiger prawns 18
Tandoori Salmon | Chinook salmon marinated overnight, yogurt, chili 17
Pacific Bass Tikka | Tandoor-roasted White Bass tikka 18
Tandoori Cornish Hen | Whole-roasted Cornish Hen 15
Trio of Chicken Tikka | White-meat chicken, blue cheese, saffron, chili 16
Frontier Lamb Rack | 48-hour marinated lamb rack, ginger, frontier spices 24
Wild Boar with Apple Chutney | Marinated overnight in Amber’s spice blend, slow-roasted 19

ENTRÉES

Paneer Till ke Tukde | Sesame-coated cottage cheese, tomato sauce, hand-pounded spices 14
Badami Bhara Baingan | Baby eggplant, caramelized onions and almonds 14
Chwonke Palak, Singada and Edamame | Cumin, garlic spinach, water chestnut 14
Wild Mushroom Pulao | Aged basmati rice, cardamom, wild-picked mushrooms, truffle oil 16
Karavali Prawns | Stir-fried Louisiana Bay tiger prawns with pepper in coconut curry 19
Clove-Scented Black Cod | Bengali-style clove and cardamom flavored yogurt curry 21
Deconstructed Butter Chicken | White-meat tandoori chicken, butter sauce, kasoori methi
dust, créme fraîche 17
Kashmiri Murg Dhaniwal | Kashmiri-style chicken, cilantro and yogurt sauce 17
Hyderabadi Chicken Biryani | Fragrant basmati rice, cooked dum style, Mary’s Farm chicken,
saffron, rose water 19
Rogan Josh | Stewed Niman Ranch lamb chunks, fennel seeds, brown onion 19
Kache Mirch ka Gosht | Niman Ranch lamb, yogurt, ginger, green pepper, chili 19

TANDOORI BREADS

Stone-Ground Whole Wheat Roti, olive oil 3
Punjabi Corn Bread 3
Classic Naan / Garlic Naan 3
Green Pea Kulcha 4
Parmesan Pesto Naan 4
Assorted Bread Basket | Classic Naan, Green Pea Kulcha, Lacha Paratha 9

SIDES

Dal Amber | Black lentil, tomatoes and spices 6
Jaisalmeri Bhindi | Crispy fried okra, fennel, tomato and dry mango powder 8
Aloo Jeera Hingwala | Cumin- and asafetida-tempered potatoes 6
Aged Basmati Rice 2
Organic Brown Basmati Rice 3
Raita | Cucumber, mint, raisin and yogurt 4
Pappad Basket 4

· All Opening Alerts [~ ESF ~]
· First Look at Amber Dhara, Now Open on Valencia [GrubStreet]
· Amber Dhara arrives in the Mission [ISSF]
· Amber Dhara [Official Site]

[Photo: ISSF]