I love a thali – tiny copper pots gleaming like a miniature banquet, each promising its own little world of flavour. But before I even get to order it at Ruchii, crisp poppadoms land on the table, accompanied by a green apple chutney – light, tart and clean – and a strawberry chutney that tastes unmistakably of the fruit itself. Both are made in-house, arriving as I’m still surveying the menu.
Ruchii sits just off George’s Avenue in Blackrock, having relocated from its former perch above Conway’s pub. It’s now in a bigger space with a wilfully expansive menu and just enough gloss to remind you that its owners, Murali and Sateesh Sayana, have a clear vision for elevating Indian cuisine.
The menu roams the subcontinent like a train on the Indian Railways: butter chicken and rogan josh from the north, dosas from the south, and the fiery Chettinad spice blends from Tamil Nadu rattling through the lot. This kind of range and variety could spell trouble for the kitchen, but it turns out to be no issue for the team of four Indian chefs, led by chef-patron Sateesh.
Growing up in his father’s restaurant in Andhra Pradesh, Sateesh learned to mix idli and dosa batter as a child. Following professional stints in Jaipur and Agra, he moved to Dublin in 2002 to cook in Rasam, and has laid on feasts for everyone from the Indian prime minister to Cher.
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The soft-shell crab (€13.50) is a tasty starter, lightly battered and fried to a golden crunch. It is accompanied with chutneys and curry leaf mayonnaise, firmly anchoring it in the south Indian coastal tradition.
The cocktails, however, are a little less precise. A margarita (€10.95) is overly sweet, missing that all-important sour-salty snap that keeps you coming back for another sip. Drinkable, yes, but not the cocktail you’d want paired with food this vibrant. Stick to beer or wine. The well-considered list focuses on aromatic, full-bodied options with enough weight for the dishes, though I remain unconvinced that wine is the ideal match for Indian food.
The fish curry (€22.50) features large, fresh chunks of cod cloaked in ginger, garlic, mustard seed and that floral hit of pathar ke phool, all luxuriating in a creamy coconut sauce. We’ve paired it with pilau rice (€3), fragrant with rosewater and topped with fried onions, alongside wonderful garlic naan – hot from the tandoor, steaming and lavishly slathered in ghee.
Then comes the thali (€33), the main event, a copper tray bristling with little pots arranged in perfect order. Inspired by the six primary tastes of Indian culinary tradition – salt, sour, sweet, bitter, astringent and pungent – it’s as much a lesson in balance as it is a meal.
Salty richness is found in the dal Makhani. It is made from urad lentils and is less buttery than you may find elsewhere, but is slow-cooked to bring an earthy depth. The creamy tomato sauce in the butter chicken brings a delicate sweetness in a base so velvety you could wear it, while the tender lamb pieces in the rogan josh hum with the pungency of toasted fennel and the warmth of cardamom.
The spinach, which is rich and creamy, is cooked with fenugreek to bring a subtle bitterness to the dish; and the prawns, in a coconut-based sauce, get a touch of sourness from tamarind and raw mango. It’s one of those sauces you find yourself finishing long after the prawns are gone, wishing there were more as it lingers on the palate, allowing the spicy heat to build. A brightly coloured beetroot raita is subtly sweet and refreshing.
Dessert is a lentil doughnut drowning in jaggery syrup, unapologetically sweet and defiantly sticky. It’s exactly the type of ending you’d expect from an Indian meal – traditional and indulgent.
Ruchii’s menu reflects India’s culinary diversity, with its extensive selection offering something for everyone. It’s a mix of the comforting and the challenging, the traditional and the experimental. For a suburban spot, it punches above its weight – a bold attempt to cram the breadth of Indian cuisine into a single menu. It’s also an invitation: to explore, to taste and to learn about the rich histories and traditions that shape each dish.
With thoughtful execution, such a menu has the potential to elevate this neighbourhood spot into a genuine destination for Indian food enthusiasts. I, for one, will be back to explore more.
Dinner for two with a cocktail and two beers was €99.95.
The verdict An extensive menu of tasty Indian dishes.
Food provenance Irish Country Meats, Gahan Meats, Keelings and Kish Fish.
Vegetarian options Palak kofta, Kadai paneer, dal, baby aubergines in a curry sauce, and thali.
Wheelchair access Fully accessible with an accessible toilet.
Music Bollywood music in the background.
