Watch this week’s Let’s Go, South Florida: Host Arlene Borenstein gets a taste of India with chef Amit Dey, who brings the full-flavored dishes he grew up eating in Mumbai to Indian Harbor restaurant in Fort Lauderdale. Plus, sommelier Fareida Rajkumar shares which wines pair well with India’s brightly spiced, flavorful plates.
Bringing dishes he learned from his family growing up in Mumbai, executive chef Amit Dey’s menu at Indian Harbor restaurant in Fort Lauderdale is a flavor passport.
“A lot of inspiration I got from my grandmother, my mother always cooking a lot of things. I grew up eating those foods and this is what I want to sell to my customers,” Dey said.
With dishes like rice-based biryani, slow-cooked nalli nihari, potato-stuffed samosas and scratch-made naan baked in a tandoor, the family-owned restaurant on Southeast 17th Street aims to bring authentic Indian food to their menu representing all regions of the country.
There is also a carefully curated wine menu meant to complement the bold flavors of the food and not overwhelm your dish. The restaurant’s Indian-American sommelier, Fareida Rajkumar, takes us through the restaurant’s wine pairings in this week’s episode of Let’s Go, South Florida.
“Indian food is complex and full of flavor, so it’s important to pair it with refreshing wines that will offer some relief to the palette,” said the sommelier.
Owner Anil Kumar says his goal is to pleasure the palettes of Indian-food lovers, but he also wants the food at his restaurant to be approachable to anyone who wants to try his homeland’s cuisine.
Indian food is not about the burning spices but a mix of blended spices … We would love to have people challenge us, saying they do not like Indian food,” said Kumar. “We can make sure they will leave our restaurant happy.”
Indian Harbor restaurant is at 1515 SE 17th St. Suite A102 in Fort Lauderdale. Lunch is 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily. Doors open for dinner at 5 p.m. Call 754-200-4891 or visit theindianharbor.com.
