Indian Southern Food Fusion, Really? Yes: The Temple Bar

Indian grilled cheese and tomato soup on a biscuitI expected boring wannabe fancy food going for cocktails at a place called The Temple Bar with some of my MBA classmates after class one afternoon...maybe they will have California Rolls for white people or even truffle tries if we are lucky.


Nope.


This was fusion I've never seen before: Indian married with Southern cooking. 


The Caramelized Cheese Biscuit (above) is actually a paneer and tomato based masala grilled cheese with a Southern twist. 


I've never thought I would order a Turnip Wrap at a bar like this, not that I ever thought I would see "Turnip Wrap" on a menu. Caramelized turnips, tomato chutney and flecks of spice on a whole wheat house-made chipati? YES!



Also on the happy hour menu was the Lamb Wrap: minced lamb with peas topped with a mint riata. My classmate gobbled this one down fast, so it must have been delicious. 




An order of the Chickpea Battered Onion and Bacon Bites is a must. Slices of onion and bacon dipped in chickpea batter and deep fried.  




My classmate, Bex!, was teasing me because I was actually fasting from animal products at the time. Just kidding, I asked her for a closeup.




The Chicken Meatball in a Biscuit with almond and cashew sauce below. 



I was that person who ordered a salad, but it was more like ordering peanuts. The Peanut Green Salad with hand roasted peanuts, onions ,tomatoes and my favorite green of all arugula: hearty, spicy and totally vegan!




The Pulled Pork Sandwich is another play on fusion: slow cooked pork with tamarind and jaggery(cane sugar) BBQ sauce on a chapati topped with chickpea battered fried onions.




Not only is Temple Bar inventive, serving downright delicious foods, but the owner, Raj, from Britain is incredibly friendly, chatting it up with patrons making you feel like you're in his living room. Love Temple Bar and can't wait for another excuse to return.  


The Temple Bar
305 NW 21st Ave
Portland, OR 97210
503-546-4900