The Bengal Coast in Dallas, Texas: Nouvelle Pan-Asian Fusion Fiesta!

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Milestone: Andy the Foodie quoted in the video testimonial on the Bengal Coast web-site.

For someone born in “the City of Joy” (Kolkata) in close proximity to “the Bengal Coast in India” (the Bay of Bengal), discovering a new culinary adventure called “Bengal Coast” right here in Dallas quite simply, blew me away! What further tickled my sense of adventure was its founder - Mark Brezinski, one of Dallas’ best known celebrity restaurateurs who has also established the extremely successful Pei Wei for P.F. Changs, that I love to frequent with family and friends.

So an invitation from Mark to explore this establishment was all that I needed to embark on my exciting voyage of discovery. And I was hardly disappointed – the Bengal Coast is an incredibly well packaged offering and ambiance with superb attention to detail and an innovative nouvelle-Pan-Asian repertoire of gastronomical delights to match!



To commence your experience, simply check out their web-pages that will tantalize you with the mystery of the culinary experience that awaits – Senor Brezinski has clearly raised "invoking mystery with cuisine" into fine art!
What brings me back for more:

Having experienced quite a few eclectic fusion establishments across the World, I approached the Bengal Coast with some fairly high expectations for the ambiance and the culinary repertoire and was pleasantly surprised on both fronts.

The ambiance is well appointed, warm and friendly, with exquisite murals depicting culinary vignettes from Bombay, Bangkok and other exotic destinations in South East Asia that are invoked in the innovative menu with flair. The mural of Bade Miya, the Grande Dame of Kebabs in Bombay, that I often frequented as a student in what is now Mumbai, as well those of the street side vendors in Bangkok offering delights like Satay, is alluring, evokes nostalgia, and lends to the authenticity of the ambiance. The attention to detail down to the cinnamon and rock salt laced content in the salt cellars on the table, the Indian-Oriental motifs from the logo to the cutlery, and the friendly and knowledgeable folks who look after your every need, is impressive indeed.

What is truly amazing is the leger-de-main and “out-of-the-box” innovation from executive chef Neville Panthaky, who has successfully packaged flavors, spices, colors, condiments and nuances from Bombay to Bangkok, from Phuket to Penang, from Kolkata to Kuala Lumpur and from the pristine beaches of Goa to the tropical paradise that is Bali, within the context of a single menu (view or download the menu), that will light up the cockles of your eclectic epicurean heart, especially if you love Indian and Thai and aspire to experience both on the same culinary adventure!

My Favorites:

Hors d’oeuvres:

• Goan Chicken Lettuce Boats – presents a mouth watering variation of the classic lettuce wraps raised to celebrity by P.F. Changs and Pei Wei, with distinct North Indian and Goan flavors, to die for!

The Samosa – India’s arguably, more tempting answer to the Greek Spanakopita or the Mexican Pinata, has been re-shaped (down to the geometry!) to tantalizing perfection at the Bengal Coast. Particularly tempting are the Chicken and Thai Lobster Samosas:

• Chicken Samosas - comprising minced chicken spiced with arugula, cilantro, asiago cheese, turmeric and Garam Masala presents a novel variation of the classic North-Indian "Keema Samosa".
• Thai Lobster Samosas – presents a mouth watering combo consisting of lobster and cream cheese, spiced with a potent mix of cilantro, black mustard seeds, red bell pepper, kaffir lime, galangal, curry leaves and chili, that results in a novel Thai incarnation of the Indian samosa.

Entrees:

• Bangkok Prawn Stir Fry – prawns stir fried in sweet Thai chili tomato sauce, lemon grass, Thai Basil, kaffir lime, cilantro, snow peas, mushrooms and served with multi-grain noodles present a sumptuous Thai delicacy you will be hard pressed to find at most Thai establishments. Highly recommended.
• Burmese Chicken Stir Fry consisting of sliced chicken breast, sweet tropical coconut curry, bell peppers, baby bok choy, bamboo shoots, cilantro, galangal and pad Thai noodles delivers nuances of the classic Gang Ped Kai (Thai Chicken Curry) in a green curry sauce, with a twist and the unmistakable aroma of fresh Basil, that really indulges your taste buds.

• Malay Crispy Beef- marinated wok-seared chili beef, mushrooms, scallions, snap peas, pad Thai noodles in a herb infused beef broth with coconut cream is a sumptuous Thai-Malay combo that will deliver a taste of Penang and Bangkok to your discerning palate
• Fragrant Butter Chicken – boneless marinated chicken, cardamom, fenugreek, buttery tomato sauce, snap peas, red bell pepper, onion with multi grain noodles presents an Oriental twist to an otherwise North-Indian classic.
• Indonesian Beef Short Ribs – boneless pot roast style short ribs, ginger, garlic, lemon grass, pan-braised pearl onions, tomato, mushrooms, bok choy, coriander, fennel seeds, green cardamom and pad Thai noodles bridge the flavors of Indonesia and India, as seen in the Hindu cultural influence on the otherwise Indonesian cuisine of the beautiful Island of Bali today.
• Chicken Jungle Curry comprising sliced chicken breast, spicy coconut red curry, Thai chilli, lemon grass, mushrooms, egg plant, bell pepper, zucchini and pineapple, can perhaps be described as a Polynesian/Hawaaian delight with distinct Thai influences.

• Pork Vindaloo – presenting tender pork braised in curry of onion, roasted tomato, ginger, garlic, coriander, cardamom, turmeric, bell pepper, pan braised pearl onion and pineapple, delivers a milder and oh, so different version of the fiery curry from the beautiful beach resort of Goa in India, with its Hindu and Portuguese influences.
• Vegetarian Madras Curry – comprising paneer (Indian cottage cheese), chick pea, corn, spinach, onion, garlic, ginger, yellow curry with garam masala, roasted tomatoes, curry leaves and fenugreek that delivers South Indian flavors with a twist, for the discerning vegan.
• Mallaccan Prawn Curry – consisting of wok-seared garlic prawns, smoked tomato tamarind glaze, scallion, mushrooms, baby bok choy, eggplant, roasted black and white sesame seeds (see below) is quite simply, "a work of culinary art" that delivers an implosion of potent flavors on your palate and has you yearning for more!

Check out the new off-the-menu Seafood delights at the Bengal Coast:Per my earlier recommendations in this blogpost, it was gratifying to see Mark, Anupam and Neville conjure up some oh-so-inimitable seafood delicacies that will indulge the discerning taste buds of any seafood connoisseur:

• Indian Herb-Crusted Flounder- comprising fresh flounder fillets crusted with a cilantro, curry leaves (from Southern India) and puffed rice pesto and then pan seared and served on fenugreek butter sauce, with stir fried veggies and crispy seasoned basmati rice cakes (see below) was innovative, authentic and will absolutely delight any seafood lover!

• Crispy Thai Sword Sticks – fresh swordfish fillets marinated in a kaffir lime tempura-style batter, wok fried and tossed in a Thai basil and lemon grass infused coconut curry, with tropical stir-fried veggies and served with crispy seasoned basmati rice cakes (see below), was original and a pleasant surprise for me that I would highly recommend, without any reservations whatsoever!

Desserts:
The Dessert menu, happily, stands augmented as well, with an exotic potpourri of flavors and aromas that are signature Bengal Coast and will tickle the “feel good” arena of your brain (similar to chocolateJ) and have your taste buds in a tizzy!

• Banana Coconut Cheesecake with a Graham Cracker Crust, Bananas and served with Butterscotch Sauce or Caramel-De-Dulche-Leche ice-cream, is simply “sinfully delightful”!
• Mango Rice Pudding Parfait with a Basmati rice pudding, fresh mango, mango puree, Indian cinnamon, cardamom, pistachio and golden raisins presents a mouth-watering twist on an Indian delicacy that is a must for weddings and birthdays in Indian homes across the World.
• Thai Chocolate Spring Roll – crispy spice chocolate roll with cardamom whipped cream and fresh pomegranate, is quintessentially Bengal Coast!

I loved the Pan-Asian adventure at the Bengal Coast and would strongly urge you to check out their tempting and tantalizing flavors and aromas from "the other Asia", in an ambiance like no other in Dallas. So go ahead and embark on your gastronomical voyage of South East Asia with a wicked potpourri of flavors, spices and nuances at the Bengal Coast – what are you waiting for?!:-)
This adventure in Dallas, Texas begins at: The Bengal Coast, 3102, Oak Lawn Avenue, Suite 116, Centrum Plaza, Dallas, Texas 75219. Tel # (214) 521-8600 (Reservations recommended especially on Weekends). Click here for the Google Map and Directions.
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Comments:
(Via e-mail): "Hi Andy, We went to Bengal Coast for dinner with our American/Australian friends from Atlanta, a couple weekends back.
They absolutely loved the food there and so did we! Anupam, the exec. chef. came by and suggested a couple of items that we ordered and we loved it. We would love to go back there again!" Neil B, Plano, Texas. March 20th, 2008, 5:03 PM

Anonymous said: "I have travelled the Far East regularly on business and I enjoyed the theme and creativity of Bengal Coast. Well done. I was assisted by a young Chef - Neville, a Culinary Institute of America alumni. I will be a regular of the restaurant as I had a wonderful experience!". March 3rd, 2008, 12:32 AM
(Via e-mail):"Yesterday, I went for lunch at the Bengal Coast. Good eclectic ambience, free parking in the garage or complimentary valet available. The food is fusion - interesting - you can also get the dishes custom prepared if you talk to Anupam Jogelkar or Neville Panthaky, the two exec. chefs. The restaurant has a full bar. Try it out." A. Mukherjee, Arlington, Texas. February 13th, 2008