Mantra - 2007.04.06 - **

I only have a few things to say about this place.

1. This is yet another shining example of why fusion food does not make good food. Especially with such distinctive cuisine as Indian food.

2. How did this make it onto the SFGate top 100, 2007? Actually on second thought, never mind.

3. You call this fancy restaurant service?

To be fair, the food were innovative, but they just weren't good. Well intended perhaps, but there were no balance of flavors, no harmony between ingredients. If indian-californian is a combo that could work, well, at least not here.

In the words of Amnon: This is an "indian" restaurant for Westerners who are too afraid to go to a real indian restaurant.

Mantra, Palo Alto
$82 for 2, including a 3-course prix fixe and a 2-course a la carte.