Moksha Indian Cuisine
1380 Old Roswell Rd, Roswell
678.205.5799
www.mokshaatl.com
“Location, location, location” may be one of the oldest sayings in the book of business, but the axiom remains as true as ever today. It’s also the lone weak element of Moksha, a gourmet Indian restaurant so flawless in execution that, were it located in Buckhead or Midtown rather than on an OTP street completely hidden by road construction, hipper-than-thou Yelp posters would be elbowing each other out of the way for an opportunity to sing its praises. Yes, it’s seriously THAT good.
Owned by the husband-wife team of Suresh and Shyni Sheregar (who also own Decatur’s beloved Udipi Café), Moksha is the culinary equivalent of the Himalayas: Difficult to access, but amazing to experience. Located in the converted house formerly occupied by Lickskillet Farm, the interior has been transformed via a vivid palette of earthly hues, from warm reds and oranges to cool greens. The décor almost seems like a visual metaphor for the delicate interplay of flavors in Executive Chef Satishan Nair’s dishes, which offer a rare blending of North and South Indian influences.
We started with samosas, the classic Indian appetizer featuring potatoes, peas and herbs in a hand-rolled pastry crust. It’s a deceptively simple dish but an excellent gauge of a chef’s skill, and Nair’s subtle blend of spices tantalized our taste buds, offering a hint of the savory flavor combinations to come. Jinga Manchurian was a delectable dish featuring fried shrimp in a fiery cilantro garlic sauce, with a sweet burn that made the lips tingle with delight. Their Chicken Tikka– kebabs marinated in a mix of ginger, garlic and cayenne– was the most tender I’ve ever tasted, with a creaminess so buttery it almost seemed a shame to chew it. We also loved the Lamb Roganjosh, with its meaty morsels cooked in a traditional Kashmiri style coconut cream curry. Even a basic entrée like Saag Paneer, which consists of cheese cubes cooked in a garlic spinach sauce, offered a deliciously delicate balance of flavors.
At many Indian restaurants dessert almost seems like an afterthought, but at Moksha they are an absolutely essential component of the meal, providing cooling contrast to the burn of Nair’s spiciest dishes. Try Gulab Jamun (which is sort of like a donut hole marinated in a cardamom-infused warm sugar syrup) for a taste of the traditional, or Rose Ice Cream blended with tapioca for an intriguing textural complexity, both of which offer sweet relief from the heat.
In Hinduism, the word Moksha refers to the liberation from “samsara,” the cycle of death and rebirth and reincarnation, and all of the suffering we must endure in our worldly existence. Here, it refers to the best upscale Indian restaurant in the city, a hidden culinary gem that’s more than worth the journey. After all, how far would YOU be willing to drive for a little slice of heaven? –Bret Love
(Originally appeared in JEZEBEL Magazine)
