La Terra Madre

A grocery-cum-restaurant run by an Italian couple with an interest in Indian and Japanese cuisines, La Terra Madre certainly stands out from the gastronomic crowd. Unsurprisingly, the bulk of the dishes are Italian – all the classics, from mushroom lasagne to stuffed peppers and veal pasta, are present and correct, and complemented by a fine range of wines both French and Italian. Yet sprinkled into the menu (particularly among the starters) are a couple of dhal and lentil dishes to keep you on your toes. The fusion works well, mainly because it's all toothsome and carefully presented (special mention goes to the tabletop designs, courtesy of an artist friend of the owners'). Leave room for the absurdly creamy panna cotta at the end.