The dining room at Ikara.
The stunning new dining room at Ikara at the Twelve Hotel in Atlantic Station. | Andrew Thomas Lee

Ikara, an Indian restaurant, newly opened in the former Allora space at the Twelve Hotel in Atlantic Station, and it’s already serving gold-lantern backdrops worthy of a Karan Johar music video. The team comes from Pippal in Emeryville, California, and executive chef Yugal Sharma was formerly at the renowned ITC Grand Bharat resort in New Delhi. Together they’ve created a menu that draws on flavors from throughout India and suits the celebratory setting with food that’s reminiscent of grand Indian weddings. 

What to order

  • The Ikara dal (black lentils, $22) from Punjab is a must for its earthy, buttery flavors. The lentils are cooked to submission overnight, lending a creamy texture.
  • The nihari gosht ($30) from Lucknow is a goat shank, bone and all, slow-cooked with warming spices like mace, nutmeg, and fennel, until it begins to fall apart. It’s a great value for the portion, and accounting for the time it takes to get the meat stewed to silk.
  • The whole-fried rawa pomfret ($24) from Goa in the starters section could be a full meal if paired with rice and raita. Another value banger, this whole fish is caked in dried spices, ginger, and garlic, and fried in coconut oil until flaky. 
  • The food is rich, so pace yourself. Be sure to order plenty of bread, like the onion kulcha ($8) and roomali (handkerchief) roti ($10) to balance the spices.

What to drink

  • The menu leans heavily on cocktails. The vodka-based aamrus ritu ($16) is Indian nostalgia with Alphonso mangoes, cantaloupe, jaggery, and egg white foam. Dill lifts the drink with herbaceousness; it’s creamy, reminiscent of Frooti, and refreshing. 
  • End with the last call home ($18), which uses paan-infused vermouth with Scotch and bitters. Paan is a popular Indian digestif of stuffed betel leaf and rose jam, and this tastes just like it.
Two colorful cocktails on a table with some kebabs in the background.

Insider tip

  • Look for a tasting menu coming soon to the decked-out blue room. The patio will open soon, too.
  • You’ll see a dramatic rose-burning cocktail on Instagram in the coming days that delivers more theatrics than flavor. I’d skip it.
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