What’s on offer?
Dharmender Singh opened Amaya Fusion in Rathfarnham in November 2021, specialising in North Indian food. The menu includes a selection of starters, from samosas to tandoori-grilled chicken and lamb; favourites such as karahi, vindaloo and achari, and a selection of mains, including rogan josh, butter chicken, biryanis and curries. There is also an impressive selection of vegetable dishes including daal tarka, paneer karahi, vegetable korma and rajma masala with red kidney beans. There are three meal deals, from €18.95 for one, to €35.99 for a non-vegetarian menu for two.
What did we order?
Vegetable samosa, lamb seekh kebab, lamb Karahi, chicken biryani, saag paneer, pulao rice and garlic naan bread.
How was the service?
Ordering online was straightforward, and the food arrived steaming hot and promptly.
Was the food nice?
The vegetable samosa had crisp pastry and was stuffed with a well-seasoned mix of peas and crushed vegetables with a gentle kick of heat. The seekh kebab, though well spiced, was the weakest dish, lacking the expected tandoor char.
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The lamb Kerahi was generous, with tender lamb and vegetables – onions, red and yellow peppers – in a velvety sauce of coriander, black pepper, garlic and whole red chillies. It had a pleasing backbone of heat which built gradually. Both the pulao rice and the garlic naan were good quality and went well with it.
Chicken biryani is an auspicious dish in Indian cuisine, reserved for special occasions, so I never expect it to be quite at this level when ordering it. Biryani comes in many variations, shaped by regional taste preferences. Amaya Fusion’s biryani, though not saffron-infused, was deeply flavoured. There were plenty of chunks of juicy chicken and the rice had a rich flavour from the chicken, cardamom, fennel seed and garam masala. The tomato sauce to spoon over it was rich and added depth.
The saag paneer was also very good, with a generous amount of tender paneer in a creamy and earthy spinach sauce.
What about the packaging?
The food came in a paper bag with an inner plastic bag. The containers were a mixture of plastic and tinfoil, recyclable, but the plastic is far from ideal.
What did it cost?
€57.67 for dinner for three people: vegetable samosa, €4.99; lamb seekh kebab, €6.75; lamb Karahi, €13.99; chicken biryani, €13.95; saag paneer, €11.75; pulao rice, €2.99; and garlic naan bread, €3.25.
Where does it deliver?
Open Tue-Sun, 5pm-10.30pm. Delivery within a 4km radius.
Would I order it again?
Yes. The dishes will be familiar to most people but they had an individual character; the portions were generous; and it’s solid value.
