Shiva's: Heavenly Culinary Abode

With its heavenly name as inspiration, Shiva's Restaurant in Mountain View, California, is reaching for the ultimate culinary perfection. Diana LaVigne Gupta talks to the owners to reveal the philosophy behind their success.

With saffron and burgundy colors adorning the walls, authentic oil and wood artwork from India, and a cathedral-high curved ceiling, swept with a hand-painted skyline motif, Shiva's Indian Restaurant and Bar commands attention as soon as guests pass through the main glass doors.

Vivek Chandra (as a silent partner) founded Shiva's two years ago with Shyam Choudhary and Harsh Bahl, who have a long history together. However, it was through their father's contact and friendship that they decided to go into business together. While Choudhary has become mainly responsible for handling outside relations like vendors and advertising for Shiva's, Bahl's task is to handle the internal operations, like staffing, for this popular dining destination for Californians.

"We've done our best to think about everything down to the smallest detail," explains Bihar-born Choudhary. "We pay attention to even the tiny things because we want the whole dining experience to be the finest."

After two years in business, Shiva's isn't just sitting on the success they've realized with the launch of their first restaurant, which is frequented by clientele such as the internationally recognized ghazal guru, Pankaj Udas. Instead, Choudhary and HHHHHHHH Bahl are striving to stay ahead of the curve and continuously look for more ways to develop a better restaurant.

"When you select a powerful name like Shiva's, you must live up to the name of the supreme power and energy of it. We strive for this," adds Chaudhary, who is the acting executive chef.

Shiva's is just completing its first stage of renovations with a hand-sculpted cherry wood elephant head, sand-blasted etched glass panels, and other exquisite artwork. Next, they will focus on updating their menu by continuing to offer their clients' favorite dishes as well as adding more signature dishes. Shiva's will maintain its ongoing special theme nights, like Valentine's Day, with special menus, and live belly dancing during the evening. And lastly, the owners will be expanding the banquet room to feature a tropical theme complete with a fountain and hand-carved artwork.

The renovations, to be completed before summer, will add an additional 45 seats to the restaurant. The capacity of the main restaurant is now 85, plus a bar area that seats 15. During the summertime, the owners are planning a small outside patio for seating so diners can enjoy people-watching and the fresh air. With 47 on staff, Shiva's is able to deliver personal attention to its clients. Even the traditional parking woes plaguing downtown Mountain View are being resolved: the city is building a four-storey parking garage one block from Shiva's.

Yet Shiva's' best asset is still its cuisine. The presentation, variety, and authenticity of their food is the main reason people flock to Shiva's.

There is a wide selection of appetizers, which also makes Shiva's a great destination for those mid-day snacks or pre-dinner stopovers. The Sami Dil Ruba are cottage cheese, spinach and potato cakes flavored with fresh cilantro, ginger and spices. For non-vegetarians, Mazola Scallops are stir-fried scallops flavored with fresh coconut, lime, tomato and a touch of ginger. But the best appetizer on the menu is Dumpukht Bharawan Aloo. These succulent potato barrels are stuffed with cashews, cottage cheese and fresh mixed vegetables and baked in a tandoor. The spices are perfectly combined to create a distinctive Shiva's dish.

For the main courses, non-vegetarians should strongly consider ordering the chef's signature dish, Sea Bass Tikka. The chef chooses the freshest sea bass and then marinates it in a special, secret recipe marinade and char-grills each piece to perfection. Other wonderful choices include Malai Chicken Tikka, Lamb Boti Kebab, Gangtok Prawn, Chicken Tariwala, and Tandoori Lobster.

Vegetarians also have plenty of choices, such as Bharawan Mushroom, Kashmiri Paneer Tikka, and Tandoori Phool. Shiva's complements its dishes well with rice or fresh breads. Order their Assorted Bread Basket that includes an assortment of Lacha Parantha, Stuffed Potato Kulcha, and Tandoori Naan to get a wide sampling of their offerings.

The cooking at Shiva's can attract a large crowd on peak days but the owners have implemented a 'beeper' system that allows patrons to wander around the downtown area, within a half-mile radius, until their table is ready. Even on their busiest days over the weekend, people don't need to wait in a stuffy cue for their tables.

Choudhary, a mechanical engineer by profession, owns several gas stations in the area. Having graduated from UMass Amherst, he came to California in 1998. Though this is his first venture into the restaurant business, he has always loved cooking, and even now cooks at home, where he lives with his family. Bahl moved from Delhi to Sweden, where he co-owned an Indian restaurant in Stockholm, before moving to California a few years ago with his wife and two daughters.

The restaurant serves food daily for both lunch and dinner. Lunch is served buffet-style and dinners are always a-la-carte. Additionally, there is first-come, first-serve seating in the bar area which serves wine, beer and liquor.

Shiva's' most popular drink is its Mango Mojito, which combines rum, mango liqueur, soda, sweet and sour, lemon and mint leaves into a mouth-puckering delectable cocktail.

"With the Performing Arts Center two blocks away and the annual Art and Wine Festival which shuts down vehicular traffic for a weekend, this location is ideal," says the Delhi-born Bahl. "Interestingly, this establishment used to be an Italian buffet-style restaurant, so we've done a lot to give it the Shiva's style and elegance."

Sitting outside on a warm summer night, sipping a tropical drink, and awaiting a mouthwatering dish, makes Shiva's an irresistible summertime destination.

Recipe

Mango Mojito (16 oz)

Items:

Ice cubes (3/4 inch cubes) 10-12

Mint leaves (washed and split) 10-12

Lemon 1/4

Bacardi Gold Rum 1 1/2 oz

Marie Brizard Mango Liqueur 1 oz

Sweet and Sour 1 1/2 oz

Soda 2 oz

Place ice cubes in glass. Place mint leaves on ice cubes. Pour Bacardi rum, Mango liqueur, sweet and sour, and soda to taste. Stir mix with stirrer.

Crab Pattice

Items:

Snow Crabmeat (thawed, squeezed) 1 lb

Soybean oil 11/2 lb

Cumin seed 2 tsp

Chopped garlic 11/2 tsp

Chopped ginger 2 tsp

Chopped chili 2 tsp or to taste

Nutmeg powder 2 tsp

Salt 4 tsp or to taste

Chili powder 1/2 tsp

Cumin powder 2 tsp

Coriander powder 2 tsp

Turmeric powder 1 tsp

Boiled potato, crushed 1 lb

Cilantro leaves, chopped 1/4 lb

Soybean oil 5-7 lbs

Heat 11/2 lb of oil in a pan. Place cumin seeds and stir till brown. Drop in chopped garlic, ginger and chili, and stir in the pan till they also turn brown. Turn the heat to medium. Place the drained snow crabmeat and stir-fry the mix around 5 minutes or so till it starts turning brown. Put nutmeg, chili, cumin, coriander, turmeric powder and salt. Keep stir-frying till the mix gets brownish. Drop crushed potato and cilantro leaves and keep on stir-frying for 5 more minutes.

Take the mix out of stove and spread on tray. When it's manageable, make pattice around 2-inches in diameter and 1-inch in height.

Heat around 5-7 lbs of oil in a deep pan. Deep-fry these pattice till they start turning deep golden brown.

Enjoy with tamarind sauce or any sauce of your choice.