Tigerlily Tiger Lily Joel Lamica Tigerlily

Tigerlily Menu

1513 Shattuck Ave. (Vine St.)
Berkeley, CA 94709
510-540-7900
Map
Cuisine: Fusion / Indian / California
Friendly and adventurous, it's the Gourmet Ghetto's Indian-fusion wonderland.
Openings: Dinner nightly
Tigerlily, Berkeley, CA


Tigerlily Restaurant Review:


In a frequently changing menu featuring local, seasonal, sustainable and organic ingredients, executive chef Joel Lamica (Pizzaiolo, Bix, Ramen Shop) uses traditional Indian cuisine as the starting point for daring fusion excursions such as squid ink naan, garam masala/Gruyère burgers and "Oh No You Didn't!" fried chicken, made with turmeric and buttermilk marinade, Korean red chili, tikka masala sauce, market greens, celeriac-Yukon potato mash --- and sometimes waffles. A whole room in this restaurant is devoted to fermentation; slaws and pickles (such as the mirin-pickled raisins served with some dishes) are exciting high points. Vintage Bollywood screens silently reside over a sleek, inviting bar; try the “Northside Swizzle” cocktail (rum, Campari, coconut cream, cinnamon-bark syrup, lime). Sometimes savoir-faire borders on self-parody, as when silky rich pot de crème comes in a too-big bowl, crowned with needless microgreens. But generally, eating here feels like being at a zany secret circus where nearly every surprise delights.