Shanik

My wife and I often lament the loss of Shanik. The lack of appreciation from the reviewers here demonstrates what is wrong with Unilocal!as a whole. And why we might not deserve Indian food that is thoughtfully prepared.
Some people argue that the location sucked. Sure, Shanik was poorly placed at the foot of Amazon, but location has never impeded the population from making their way to a wonderful restaurant.
The real problem is Seattle’s inability to grasp the nuance in regional cuisine from other countries. Hence the rampant popularity of Thai and «Asian» restaurants lining the streets with their overly familiar routine of curries and noodle dishes.
In the future, I would love to see Meeru give it one more shot, with a thirty-​top, tucked away in a neighborhood far from the corporate taste buds that relish Trader Joe’s frozen microwavable Indian dinners.

Worst service ever
In the last two weeks of Shanik being open we went twice and ate almost everything on the menu in our two trips.
My favorites were the beet bites, short ribs and lamb popsicles.
The first time we went I asked Tyler our waiter to take a picture of the table since it was great to see people I hadn’t seen for some time. He said maybe later. Then the second time I asked he said «I’m too busy.» That would be a first for me to have a waiter ever say that.
After going tonight and even with the owner sitting in the bar area next to us at an all chef’s table with Tom Douglas etc. We were the forgotten table and it started with the hostess giving me attitude.
No welcoming chai, no rice, no naan, ran out of water and we had to keep going up to the bar b/​c we were so neglected and didn’t have the basics. We kept asking over and over for stuff and it wouldn’t come. We ordered a lot of food but didn’t have rice or naan for so long it got cold while we waited. Then our bill was messed up and I had to go up to the bar to fix that too. It was a nightmare service. If it wasn’t for the good food I’d give it one star. I can’t remember being treated this poorly ever at a «nicer» restaurant. Hopefully this isn’t how it was earlier b/​c that might’ve been part of the reason for the closure and service is very fixable.
I will go back to Vij’s someday but it will take me a while to build up the nerve to go after how traumatizing it was today.

This is my third and final visit to Shanik in Seattle’s South Lake Union neighborhood. The family and I enjoyed our farewell dinner earlier this evening 3÷16÷15.
Sadly, Shanik will be closing for good with final service on Saturday 3÷21÷15.
Service throughout was pleasant and attentive, plus food preparation remained consistently delicious. We nearly mirrored last year’s visit.
We’re going to miss that flavorful chai — black tea, green cardamom, fennel, sugar, and milk. Kiddo made it a point to have three servings of it.
Samosas with Curried Chickpeas, accompanied with a trio of chutneys were popular with plates going to the majority of the tables as starters ($ 11 for two, $ 15 for three).
Me and the kiddo had repeat entrees:
Kiddo with the Oven Braised Goat in Fennel and Kalonji Curry ($ 22)
He thoroughly enjoyed the accompanying warm naan and basmati rice.
Me — I repeated with the Spice Encrusted Lamb Popsicles with Split Pea-​Spinach Mash and Coconut Curry ($ 27). Eyes bigger than the stomach, so bites and the creamy sauce shared among us. Despite holding back on naan and rice, I was done in. Those lamb chops were perfected spiced and grilled — I will truly miss those!
The husband had the Grilled Venison Medallions on Tamarind and Date Purée, topped with Grilled Red and Green Peppers ($ 25). It was ‘tender, flavorful, not gamey, but distinct’.
I had to pass on dessert, but kiddo had a Mango Lassi ($ 4.50). Creamy yogurt, mango purée, with a hint of rose water. The husband did a repeat generous serving of the Rice Pudding with Roasted Almonds ($ 7).
Sad to see that this fine restaurant will shutter for good this coming Saturday. All the best to Meeru Dhalwala, Oguz Istif, and their entire staff!

Shanik Market is a take-​out/​market open during the weekday. I ended up here after missing lunch at Shanik, but found the options limited for a late lunch. The place is small, where you have a counter to order/​pay for food, and the walls are lined with refrigerators filled with food and bottles of wine.
Surprisingly, they do not serve naan as a side dish although you can buy it in the refrigerated section. I love eating naan with saucy dishes so I was pretty disappointed that I couldn’t get some to go with my lunch. They were out of a few items on the to-​go menu so my bf and I ended up with:
Chicken with tomato and green onion ($ 12)
The rice was great and the chicken was decent. I felt like there could have been more salt and spices to make this dish stand out, even though this was my favorite of what we ordered.
Coconut Curry Vegetables ($ 8)
This dish had a good consistency, but this too was lacking in spices. Again, the rice that came with it was tasty.
Coconut pudding with Fruit Topping (~$ 7)
My bf and I were both surprised to find the color of the pudding to be pink. The flavor was ok but the texture was watery for a pudding. I was expecting this to be similar to the consistency of haupia (a hawaiian coconut pudding). The apple and lychee fruit topping save this dessert by giving it much needed texture. Personally, I though this was not worth the money I spent on this dessert.
Overall, I was highly disappointed with my experience (food-​wise) at Shanik Market. I personally think the prices are high for a take out restaurant where the food is just mediocre. I just hope that Shanik Market doesn’t reflect the quality of the main restaurant (Shanik) next door.

Very authentic Indian restaurant!
Very popular around this area in downtown Seattle.
My coworkers took me there at noon and we had a very nice meal over there!
Highly recommended!

Overall very good Indian food. Delicious flavours, etc.
Naan’s need some work, and they don’t have that fluffiness that makes naans so morish. The prices are far too high for us to return however. Is it good, yes. Is it $ ²⁵⁰⁄₄ people good, no. Would rather go home to Vancouver and eat at Vij’s.

We came here for lunch and tried two items from the lung menu. I love the modern ambiance and customer service. The food had nice flavors but the portions were small. I would certainly come back for dinner.

As big Vij (Vancouver) fans, we were anxious to try Shanik. Perhaps it was an off night? Granted, this place should stand on its own and not be compared to its more established cousin but it’s hard to not make some comparisons, given that they’re both owned by the same people and hopeful that perhaps some of the Vij magic can rub off.
Here are some tips to learn from Vij:
1. Greet guests with «Hello, Welcome to Shanik, table for two?» instead of «Hello» a raised eyebrow and silence, expecting the patron to explain why they’re there.
2. Step aside for patrons when bringing food or generally moving about the restaurant instead of expecting them to hop out of your way (this happened on three occasions).
3. When offering dessert menus don’t just ask «Would you like to see the dessert menu?» and plop them on the table and walk away with no explanation. Perhaps try explaining the offerings?
4. When the food is not so great, you should try to make up for it with service. It can go a long way toward a good (or bad) evening, and unfortunately the lack of it made for an all together average experience.
5. Naan should be hot, perhaps a little buttery and salty. Not rubbery and seemingly out of a microwave.
Keep trying, Shanik, you have a long way to go. We’re heading to Vancouver.
PS: We really like Meeru, she’s a wonderful person and we wish her much success. It was not clear whatsoever that her stamp was anywhere on this place.

I never knew this place existed till a colleague mentioned it. Happened to go here for lunch with a few colleagues. It’s a nice place. Lovely ambience, extremely friendly staff and a very good feeling about the food to come.
I am slightly biased and picky about Indian food, so unless it’s super awesome, it’s not really good for me. I tried the chickpea rice pilaf with paneer and naan along with the mango lassi.
Firstly the water and the mango lassi are served from these copper utensils, which gave it a great feel. The paneer and the pilaf was okay, I felt it was overdone on the amount of sesame seeds it had, otherwise was good.

How I heard of this place: After moving back from Arlington, Virginia, we were on a quest to try all of the new restaurants that had popped up around the city; it was a short-​lived experiment as there were way too many to get to within any reasonable amount of time. This place, having made it onto the list through my sister-​in-​law and a good friend, made it’s way to the top of the list when it was time to catch up with a fellow east-​coaster.
Type of cuisine: «Shanik is a modern Indian restaurant that serves Meeru’s personal Indian cuisine which is creative and daring, yet comforting. We invite our customers into a version of India that is not intimidating, cliché, or a rehashing of what is traditionally marketed as Indian. Our restaurant is the same version of Indian that Meeru is: North American in lifestyle and attitude, while rooted in Indian heritage and cuisine. We take pride in making our own yogurt, paneer and ghee, as well as; sifting, grinding, and roasting our spices in-​house. Our open kitchen is designed specifically so our diners can experience the warmth of our cooks, and signifies a sharing of heats.»
Ambiance: «Oguz Istif has worked with Vij’s for eight years and brings strong business acumen combined with strength in front-​of-​house service that reflects traditional Turkish hospitality. Oguz’s Turkish background lends an exotic touch of Turkish culture and its nuances to Shanik’s ambiance and cuisine. Our color theme for Shanik is Blue-​Gold. This was very important when designing the ambiance and personality of Shanik. Blue is the color of both the Himalayan poppy and the Turkish evil eye that protects, gold is the color of Indian and Turkish jewelry, and blue-​gold is another term for the earth’s water supply when referred to as a precious resource.»
«Shanik has a lounge where guests are served complimentary Indian hors d’oeuvres (all of which are Meeru’s original recipes) and can enjoy expertly selected wines and local beers. Shanik also has a market where you can buy packaged curries, spices, chapati, cookbooks, and wine to pair with your take out dinner.»
What I ordered: Each of us, my dining companion and I started with the Lemon-​Ginger Drink ($ 4.50 each), a fizzy beverage (club soda) with freshly squeezed lemon juice, grated ginger and sweetener. For our main entrees, we shared the Spicy Indian crêpe («pura») with bacon, onion and potatoes ($ 12), and the Sauteed spinach-​paneer with daal, rice, naan ($ 12).
What I loved: The Lemon-​Ginger Drink was the first, thirst-​quenching palette cleanser that truly enticed our tastebuds. Each meal, too, however small and creative it seemed on the outset was robust with flavor, spice and hearty fare.
Why I loved it: The open floor plan with a kitchen that allows for patrons to see their chefs and smell the aroma of light Indian spices in the air adds to the beautiful blue accents in the furnishings and ambiance. The small portions satisfy with flavor and the opportunity to share a couple of plates among friends.
Cost: Average ($ 10 — $ 14.50 per Lunch entrée)

Shanik is not a traditional Indian restaurant, if you are expecting that you will walk away disappointed. However, as a dining experience we were impressed and happy to come back.
We have been searching out good curry for ages, Seattle really lacks good Indian food. Our thought was that Shanik might fit the bill, however the menu is not what we expected but removing that expectation, the food and flavors were great!
Go for the Lamb Popsicles, definitely a stand-​out item and the tea they served was phenomenal. The dessert items really surprised as well. We shared a family style meal between six of us and everyone enjoyed sampling the menu. Service was friendly, helpful, and efficient. I think it is a great and unique additional to the Seattle restaurant scene.

okay, i gave shanik another shot and came away with the same feeling. i gave it the benefit of the doubt, but i’ve given up. i just don’t think it’s that good and it’s not inexpensive.
this time, we had the samosas, the jackfruit dish and the lamb lollipops. we weren’t super impressed with any of the above. i almost enjoyed the chickpeas more than the samosas. the jackfruit was pretty bland and very fibrous. served in pretty big chunks, it was hard to get through. the lollipops were okay, but not outstanding.
hmm, i thought shanik would have worked out more kinks by now. still sort of cranky when we left.

So this was my first dinner experience in Seattle last month right after landing at the airport nearby. It was recommended to my folks from a family friend. Definitely not what I expected. Nice, pricey restaurant than what I am normally accustomed to for Indian food.
I enjoyed the cricket appetizer and lamb Popsicles. It was an exotic twist to standard Indian food. Not sure I would go there again considering it was pricey for Indian food. Overall pretty good but definitely enjoyed other meals in Seattle more than this spot.

I liked this place! Tasty food, nice environment, good plating! Apparently, the India Ambassador to the US came to lunch here. His favorites were the lamb popsicles and vegetable koftes. Their lunch menu items run from $ 11-​$ 15, which is pretty decent for a sit down lunch.
However, when many people think Indian food, people don’t think so upscale, and thus, think this placed is overpriced.
I had a July only lunch special consisting of curry, lamb popsicle (really delicious!), naan and basmati rice. The portions are small (only one lamb popsicle), but just enough to fill me. Though I still felt lethargic in the early afternoon after my meal.
I went with three other Indian friends. Here are some of their general comments:
Chai — pretty good (but it was $ 3 for a TINY cup!)
Naan — too little, the already small naan was cut into even smaller pieces. A friend from the Punjab region of India (which apparently is known for eating a lot of naan), says he could normally eat about 30 of those pieces.
For vegetarians:
About half the lunch menu was vegetarian.
Also, the Naan — it has egg in it, so if you can’t eat egg, you can ask to switch it out for the wheat naan.

Think more along the lines of fine dining and you’ll be more okay with the pricing. If you think «OMG I just paid *what* for Indian food?!» you will be cranky.
Two of us had dinner at Shanik and concluded that the appetizers were forgettable and the entrees were good. Why the large discrepancy?
Also, it’s expensive. We had 2 entrees, 2 appetizers, 2 beers, and 1 glass of wine and it was $ 112 + tip.
We had the cricket appetizer ($ 10) and the samosas ($ 11 for 2). Both were quite forgettable and disappointing. The accompanying chickpeas with the samosas were very bland.
For entrees we ordered the lamb popsicles and the venison. I had never heard of venison at an Indian spot! Interesting.
Both mains were quite good. We liked the sauces a lot– a coconut cream sauce with the lamb and a date purée with the venison. The lamb had a nice char each chop and was very flavorful. It was well done which surprised me but it worked with the dish. If the sauce wasn’t there it would have been on the dry side.
Lamb was $ 27 for 3 popsicles. Venison was $ 25.
Service was excellent. I would return but with a different mindset going in. Honestly they’re between a 3 and a 4 for me but I can’t give them an a-​okay rating. It is a good spot. Just adjust your expectations accordingly.
I was a bit let down considering my recent visit to Rangoli in BC (related restaurant) where I had a culinary revelation.

Everytime I walk in here for lunch I literally drag my feet.
Shanik is not Indian food, it is fusion of some kind but the flavors are off the mark and most often I am left wondering why I agreed with a co worker and got here knowing very well that I will be disappointed and underwhelmed.
Being east indian, I am particular about my spices and flavors and i can cook a good meal when I have the time. When I visit shanik, I wonder how the chef can go wrong making Saag which is a very simple dish with greens that anyone can make by just following the recipe. Their portions are tiny. Their bread is a tiny slice of sometimes raw or uncooked rotis. Except for the ambiance and location, I don’t find anything appealing about this place.

Unique Indian-​style food. The staff were extremely accommodating to my diet and replaced the starchy sides with two salads (one kale and one bean). Our food was served quickly, which was perfect considering we were having a casual work lunch.
Great option for anyone on the slow carb diet!

Having been to Vijs several times in Vancouver, we came with high expectations. Having read reviews here, we were also a bit uncertain.
In short, this place is excellent.
Appy: samosas with chickpeas. Yum. Great flavor, and tasty samosas.
Main: veggie koftes and beef short ribs.
Excellent flavors again!
Naan and rice are included. Really good chai complimentary.
Yes prices seem high, but once u factor in the $ 1 – 2 u would pay for naan, or rice, or a cup if chai etc, it’s reasonable. It’s not cheap but it’s reasonable.
A nice wine list but we passed because we loves the chai.
Friendly servers, nice vibe. Worth going back.

I’ve been to Shanik 6 – 7 times for lunch, ordered takeout twice and dinner once — mostly due to its close proximity and large space being conducive for meetings– but the food still continues to puzzle me. Why?
Because it’s not really an Indian restaurant for Indians — seems like a missed opportunity as there is a concentration of Indians at Amazon. Shanik seems like a restaurant created for those who want to experiment with atypical Indian food. But although there is some nice innovation and flavor fusion here, it also tries to be authentic and in doing so fails on execution in almost every dish. Parts of the dishes are great but other parts that are plainly mystifying and not well executed.
Take the jackfruit, cauliflower and kale curry, that’s a combination never seen in an Indian home! Jackfruit is a great idea on its own but the curry fails to inspire. It needs to be more flavorful and ‘meaty’ almost like a lamb vindaloo curry.
Similarly, the lunchtime lamb/​beef seekh kebabs are moist and well done but mystifyingly doused in a curry that does not
complement the flavor as it’s too heavy on turmeric. They should have been accompanied with grilled Indian style vegetables. And the chapati is always cold and insipid although made the Indian way.
Samosas with chickpeas are authentic indeed but for the lunchtime $ 12 price they’re overpriced and not that tasty.
Most of the dishes overuse Indian spices like turmeric and cumin or even garam masala– and I only say this as I have been cooking Indian food for 25 years — just a tad less spice in some dishes would make the actual ingredients sparkle. I love the fusion — mushrooms stuffed with mawa but the execution does not create the perfect blend of spicy and sweet, rich and flavorful. Just complex flavors that lack a masterful touch.
The service is always excellent, the servers always attentive and helpful. The ambience pretty decent. That’s the reason for 3 stars.
You’ll see there are few diners of Indian origin despite being in an area where there’s hundreds of Indians. That alone says it all.
A great idea — just needs refinement to be a truly great restaurant. Right now I’d call it an experiment but still worth a try!

Back in June, I visited Vancouver and was fortunate to try the restaurant, Rangoli. I really liked the dining experience that I had there. Good service and great Indian food. So when I heard that one of the owners was opening Shanik in Seattle, I was excited along with many others who are familiar with Rangoli and the even more popular Vij’s.
Shanik opened up last month in South Lake Union and is surrounded by the Amazon campus. Amazon’s rapid growth seems to have convinced numerous restauranteurs to open up some of the city’s best new restaurants in the area which includes Shanik. I believe SLU only had one Indian restaurant (Laadla) prior to Shanik, so this is a big get for the neighborhood.
Shanik is open for lunch and dinner. They don’t take reservations except if you are booking the private dining room. For lunch, the main dining room is closed. But Shanik does offer lunch takeout during this time which is great for Amazonians and for those working in downtown Seattle nearby as it is a short South Lake Union Streetcar ride away.
I haven’t tried dinner here yet, but I did stop by a few days back to get lunch takeout. The space where they offer lunch takeout is small. If there is a long line, you likely will have to stand in the small waiting area inside the restaurant but outside the takeout area. Or you might even have to wait outside in the cold if it is really long. Inside the takeout area, one side is for ordering and the other side of the partition is for those waiting for their orders.
At lunch, I would say they have about 10 or so entrée offerings. Prices seem to mostly hover in the $ 10 to $ 12 range so it is not a cheap lunch. They also have chai tea. It seemed the most talked about item from the lunch menu is the Kalonji chicken. Though I decided to get the lamb and chickpea curry ($ 12) instead. I had a great lamb dish at Rangoli so I felt confident that it would be good here as well.
The wait to order was not long. It seemed the majority of the people were waiting for their order. Within 10 minutes of ordering, my order was ready. For lunch, they don’t have any seating except for a small bench in the waiting area outside the takeout area. There are a couple benches outside of the restaurant which is where I decided to eat my curry as I don’t live or work in the area. Yes, I ate lunch outside in the cold 40 degree weather!
Though it was chilly, the curry was hot with steam coming from it. The portion size is generous which is what I would expect given the pricetag. As for the curry, I have to say that I enjoyed it. The curry had nice flavor to it and the lamb was tender. The basmati rice was cooked perfectly and I like the inclusion of cauliflower in this dish.
The only thing about the experience was the weather I had to deal with eating outside. Since it was cold, it was a rush to eat the curry before it cooled. It would be nice if there was some sort of casual seating area at lunch. This is more of a big deal during the winter than the summer. In the summer, I probably would prefer eating outside even if there was seating here.
I enjoyed the curry at Shanik, so I am eager to see how dinner here compares. I am curious to try the lamb popsicles that I have constantly heard raves about.