One of the many beautiful aspects of the San Francisco Bay Area is the plethora of authentic, native cuisine from around the world. In a region with as much culinary sophistication and well roundedness as this, it is all the more a joyful and heartwarming experience when one stumbles upon the hidden gems. Monsoon Masala was not on my list of restaurants to critique but as fate would have it, I was in the Pleasant Hill/Concord area and was intrigued by both the name of the restaurant (which reminded me of one of my favorite movies, Monsoon Wedding) as well as its contemporary meets cozy ambiance.

Upon entering the restaurant, it became apparent that its name was indeed appropriate as my senses were filled with a delicious monsoon of garlic, onion, cardamom, coriander, nutmeg and the entire blend of wonderful spices that create those complex flavors in Indian cuisine. Service was friendly and attentive from the beginning. I chose to sit near a window that faced into the steamy kitchen where chefs were hard at work, slapping naan dough into large tandoori ovens and quickly simmering golden curries for hungry guests.

I joked with my waiter that I hoped I wasn’t distracting the chefs by watching them so intently to which he asked if I would like a tour of the kitchen. As a seasoned eater and traveler, I was taken aback by his offer. It is a rare thing to be invited to a restaurant’s kitchen and when those rarities happen, it is usually in a hotel’s restaurant or very large Michelin rated behemoth. Excited to meet the chef and staff, I took him up on the offer and proceeded to the immaculate kitchen where owner and head chef Abhay Kumar was incredibly gracious. Taking a few minutes out of a busy Friday night dinner rush, he presented his two tandoor ovens and had one of his sous chefs demonstrate the making of fresh naan. It is truly refreshing to meet an owner/chef with a pedigree trailing from the Westin St. Francis, Hyatt and Argent hotels as well as many awards, who remains humble and ever passionate about his native foods.

From the beautifully executed traditional favorites of Saag Paneer (creamy cubed cheese and gently seasoned spinach) and Baingan Bharta (luscious and savory eggplant) to the more progressive and contemporary creations of Prawn-filled Papadums and Monsoon Mussels, Chef Abhay and his team show true culinary prowess and mastery of herbs, spices and fresh ingredients. Proving his worthiness of all past accolades and undoubtedly more to come, Chef Abhay’s talents and his commitment to providing an exceptional dining experience for his guests are further attestation of why the entire Bay Area is a culinary destination, not just San Francisco itself.

http://www.monsoonmasala.com/