Indiana

Now this is what I was expecting when I started this little project. Arka is a new restaurant in Sunnyvale that has ties to another local restaurant that I really like, Sakoon. My first few times going to Sakoon I felt like I should have been in New York. It is sexy, chic, tight, low lights with a touch of neon, and music that you have never heard before, but would feel embarrassed if someone called you out on it. What was even more impressive, they served Indian food without making the whole restaurant smell like curry. (I really do like curry, but there is something about the smell). I have been back a few times and never disappointed, I was hoping there would be a similar Indian restaurant opening in the area and I was happy when I read about Arka.

Arka has a very similar feel to Sakoon. It is modern, cool music and a nice bar that is welcoming enough to watch a ballgame when you walk into the restaurant. While Sakoon does enjoy the feel of a "downtown" eatery, Arka makes up for it with it's space and comfort. The real test for Arka was going to be the food, and it didn't disappoint, sort of.

When I got to the restaurant I asked my waiter to bring me the house special, or whatever he would recommend. He put in an order for Lal Mirch Chicken, I didn't know what it sounded like so I figured it sounded good. In the mean time he brought a bowl of peppered peanuts to the table, they were delicious... until I rubbed my eye. For the rest of the night I was trying to look and talk to my wife without feeling like I just got pepper sprayed, and I couldn't. It burned... bad. It felt like the rest of the night was more of a test of pain tolerance than food enjoyment. When the chicken came I was totally satisfied, but not in the same way I was when I left Sakoon for the first time. My favorite part of eating Indian food is soaking up all of the leftover sauce with naan at the end of the meal, and this dish did not have an abundance of sauce. I could have saved my disappointment by reading the menu and seeing that the dish was described as "semi dry Asian chicken," but that takes some effort and incentive, and when I am out to eat I don't want to deal with that. When I go to Indian food just bring me tender chicken and a lot of sauce. Okay, maybe I need to spend a little more time eating and understanding Indian food, and it wouldn't hurt to look at the menu. In this case I was a victim of my own ignorance. The food was good, not completely what I was expecting, but good.

Overall, this wasn't my favorite dining experience, but most of my uncomfort is of my own fault. I learned a valuable lesson, don't put peppery figures in your own eye. Other than that I will have to come back again to give it a good second chance, and I truly look forward to it. I think Arka has was it takes to cement itself as a neighborhood gem, minus the ignorant diners.

Here's to some Indian chicken, remember... NEXT ROUND'S ON ME