As you enter, you almost want to smile in relief as you look around the décor of Yuva. Thank God there are no naked Goddesses with glittery sparklers on the walls, no strong smells of spices that cling to your clothes and skin all day long, nor the high pitched music blaring in the background.

It’s a classy place; right from the time you enter to the time you leave, you are welcomed and treated like royalty. After our order was taken, Yuva's complimentary sauce tray is provided with several different chutneys, ranging from mild to hot which was served with papad. We ordered sweet lassi with it, which was quite delicious!

The food was flavorful, starting with the two appetizers that we ordered, Kadak Seekh Kabab (crispy chicken kababs made with a paneer filling, a tad dry) and Okra Crunch (fried in crunchy coating of bread crumbs). Both were mild and delicious, thankfully not drowning in spices and hot peppers that usually kill the taste buds to the point that one can’t taste anything else after that!

For dinner, we had Yuva’s Tandoori platter which was a combination of Malai Tikka, Chicken Afghani, Lamb Boti, Lamb Seekh Kabab and Chicken Hariyali (I didn’t want tandoori shrimp, so I was provided an extra order of my favorite lamb boti). The meats were succulent and tender beyond imagination. Paneer spinach and Chicken Tikka Masala were mild, but delicious. The presentation was artistic and beautifully done. A welcome surprise was Daal Makhani, which was sent to us by the owner as a complimentary dish. It’s a must try, I assure you. Try it with their warm breads or parathas, which aren’t the typical heavy breads that we are used to, but amazingly light and perfect. Thank God no heavy curries found here.

We ended our dinner with a dessert of warm, soft Gulab Jaman and Kheer.

All in all, a great experience as the service is extremely warm and friendly, easily one of the best ambiance in an Indian restaurant in the city. The crowd is trendy and upscale.

By Farrah Bokhari