Sitar Indian Cuisine: Traditional yet Modern

“Traditional Indian cuisine with a modern touch,” is an apt motto for Sitar Indian Cuisine on Colorado Boulevard in the Playhouse District.

“It’s just simple, natural cooking, with traditional values,” says owner/general manager Aman Kamboj. The modern touches come from the zen-like music played throughout the restaurant, the warm décor and their full bar complete with mango martinis, Indian wines and beers.

Their menu is derived from Punjab cuisine with influences from Southern India. Tandoori, lamb, chicken and seafood specialties share space on the menu with many vegetarian dishes.

I chose the Sitar Special with samosas, tandoori chicken, lamb boti kabab, chicken korma,vegetable aloo gobhi, basmati rice, garlic naan and rice pudding. My companion indulged in his favorite dish of lamb biryani.

A word about spice. It is a common misconception that all Indian food is hot-spicy. This is not so. The heat comes from a few ingredients that make up the whole and can be controlled in the final cooking of the dish. Since Sitar makes all their food when ordered they can control the amount of spiciness to your taste.

“So our food might take a little longer to come out, but at the end of the day it’s fairly gourmet. And so we have the luxury, depending on the guest’s palette, to make it mild, medium or spicy,” adds Aman.

I opted for medium, my spice-impaired companion had it mild.

The tandoori chicken was tender with the smoky taste of the tandoori oven that mingled with the yogurt-spice marinade. Lamb morsels also cooked in the tandoori oven, were touched by a marinade of herbs and spices.

The chicken korma which is a creamy sauce garnished with almonds and cashews, was light and delicate.

Fresh vegetables studded the aloo gobhi which was sautéed with ginger, tomatoes and spices. I’ll eat my vegetables anytime they are cooked like this.

The lamb biryani, which is a Mogul dish, had tender pieces of marinated lamb in bastmati rice that was flavored with saffron and studded with nuts, raisins, onions and bell peppers. A hint of heat added to the appeal of this dish.

Sitar also has banquet facilities for 250 people next door to the restaurant, conference rooms above the restaurant and their very own parking. Currently they provide conference support for many of the larger companies around town. And if it’s a celebration you’re after, Sitar can provide it at a lower cost than the hotels. That’s because they have so many services available to them like the lighting, DJs, live music, and florists. “I want you to come happy and leave happier,” says Aman.

Sitar Indian Cuisine is located at 618 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena. Their hours are Sunday – Thursday, 11:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m., Friday – Saturday, 11:00 a.m. – 11:00 p.m. For more information go to their website at www.sitarindiancuisine.com or call (626) 449-5954.