Cox: Marigold Indian Bistro dazzles

Many talented chefs have made such an impact on our region that it is now a destination for food lovers from around the country, and even around the world.

Some of these chefs are well known, others less well known. Some may hardly be known at all, yet they have done their part over the years to serve food at the highest quality level.

One of these unsung heroes of the kitchen range, and in his case the tandoor, is Uddab Timilsina, who came here from Nepal and worked for years at Arrigoni’s Deli & Café on Fourth Street in Santa Rosa, preparing American deli food. Even as he made sandwiches and lasagna, he had a second job as chef at Karma Indian Bistro in Cotati, a hole-in-the-wall restaurant in a downscale strip mall, where his food was astonishing.

After that, he planned the menu at Namaste in Petaluma, where the food was even better. And after that, he was the talent behind the best Indian food in the North Bay at Pamposh in Santa Rosa. Now he and his wife Renu operate their own restaurant, Marigold Indian Bistro, in Sebastopol, where he’s cooking Indian dishes that dazzle the taste buds with the spicy mysteries of the East.

Timilsina’s Chicken Biryani ($11.99 ???? ) is fragrant basmati rice laced with chunks of curried chicken breast, herbs, nuts and raisins. In its facets of flavor and fruit-studded appearance, it reminded me of a magical movie I saw when I was about five in which an Indian potentate dribbled jewels through his fingers.

Not every dish has that kind of swoon factor. The Tandoori Trio Platter ($18.99 ?? ½) had a fatal flaw; the lamb cubes that were marinated in ginger, slipped onto a kebab and cooked in the tandoori oven, were tough. Very tough. The meat in our other lamb dish of the evening was perfectly tender, so I suspect that this flaw was an anomaly. The other parts of the trio were perfect. Lemon pepper prawns were brushed with turmeric and flash-cooked in the tandoor’s intense heat, and organic chicken pieces were marinated with herbs and spices to give a golden orange color and lightly spicy savor.

Do you think that the flavors of lamb and apricots are compatible? Chef Timilsina thinks so, and pairs them in his Lamb Apricot ($14.99 ??? ½) dish. Lamb’s taste is perfumy and sweet and so is apricot’s, although they are entirely different. Here they meet in a thick sauce made with coconut stock and curry powder, creating a fruity-meaty-spicy wonderland of flavors. And the lamb was perfectly tender.

Really great chefs can create evocative dishes that conjure up memories out of forgotten experiences, and Timilsina does it with his Kale Fritters ($4.99 ???? ). The herbaceous bite of kale mingles with the spicy pungency of ginger and the sweetness of onion, all wrapped in a chickpea batter in these six deep-fried pointy balls of goodness. They come with yogurt-mint and tamarind dips. Where have I tasted this before? I don’t know, but the memory comes bubbling up.

The Saag Paneer ($3.99 ???? ), which translates to spinach and cheese, can be an overcooked, soggy, sour mess at many Indian restaurants. But not here. The soft, tofu-like slabs of cheese are bright on the tongue, the spinach still green rather than an unappealing olive drab, and the dish is alive with onion, Indian spices, ginger and garlic.

Don’t ignore the Bharta Murgh ($4.99 ??? ½). Tandoori roasted and mildly smoked eggplant is sautéed with tandoori-roasted cubes of organic chicken, herbs and a dash of cream. Spoon some over your choice of basmati or brown rice. Some of the credit for this fine food should go to Rabin Lama, who works by Timilsina’s side in the kitchen.

The waiter will ask you how spicy you want your dishes. “Medium” puts a nice glow in the mouth, which you can easily cool with yogurt-based raita sauce.

The room has been nicely decorated, with beautiful paintings of Hindu themes by Tuvak Tuladhar. The wine list is short, but has bottles well-chosen to go with Indian food, such as the Navarro Edelzwicker, a lovely Alsatian varietal, for $30, and plenty of local craft and Indian beers - always a good choice with this cuisine. For dessert, there’s Rice Pudding ($3.49 ??? ) like mom used to make, and a chocolate mousse that we were all too full to try.

To sum up: If you like Indian food, you’ll have a peak experience at this restaurant.

Jeff Cox writes a weekly restaurant review for the Sonoma Living section. He can be reached at jeffcox@sonic.net.