SD headed to Kumar The Traveler to experience some of India’s most special traits – strong flavours, aromatic spices and warm, comforting hospitality.

Located at Place Vendôme Mall in Lusail, this contemporary Indian restaurant is impressive from the moment we set foot inside. The dim lighting is inviting, with stylish décor, highlighted by black grills, sleek lines and sharp edges. As enticing as this indoor dining space is, the weather today is perfect for an al fresco evening, right by Place Vendôme’s renowned Dancing Fountain, on Kumar’s terrace area. Whether you’re a seasoned tourist visiting or a longtime Doha resident, it would be a shame to miss this vibrant, musical spectacle as you relish every morsel of the delectable Indian fusion dishes.

Chef Kumar has travelled all over India in search of inspiration and the result is a diverse yet unique collection of traditional flavours with a modern flair. And the menu really demonstrates his talent and creativity.

Our host warmly welcomes us and immediately starts us off with some quintessential papadums and green chutney, the perfect mini appetiser to whet our appetites for the heavier starters.

As we browse the appetiser menu, we’re really spoilt for choice. There’s plenty to pick from, and each dish seems to top the others. If you’re looking to dine with family, you’ll appreciate the kids’ menu with crispy chicken nuggets and fries.

We decide to kick off with a plate of Indian Rib Eye Cubes. The short rib is braised for eight hours and we can tell how well it’s done with every strand of premium meat that falls apart. The starter menu is so diverse and, while we’d like to try everything, we have to carefully pick our favourites. The selection focusses on fusion dishes featuring flavours from multiple Indian regions. And, when you see a dish named Bangalore Biryani Balls, you know the chef isn’t playing around. The arancini-style balls that arrive next sit on a bed of Makhani gravy, perfectly crispy on the outside and tender and juicy on the inside. It’s great how versatile this dish is – just right for any savoury palate.

We also try another plate of small bites – the Buffalo Chicken Chapati Tacos. It’s interesting to see how the traditional Indian chapati is turned into a semi-crispy taco shell, forming a creative vessel for the decadent buffalo chicken bites.

The Mumbai Puff is Kumar’s take on a classic Indian street food. It’s conveniently served as bite-sized pieces and we relish all three. What’s special about Kumar’s rendition is the addition of chicken tikka cubes to the yoghurt-tamarind-chickpea mixture. What a delight!

On to the mains and Kumar features a massive selection of gravies, biryanis and tandoor dishes.

The tandoori platter, an obvious choice, is anything but ordinary. A grand cage-like structure holds two types of tandoori chicken, suspended from metal skewers, with Kumar’s Special Tandoori Prawns and Koobideh Kababs sitting at the bottom. The prawns have an extra touch of special ginger and garlic flavours, and we love this version of tandoori. A basket of cheese naan pairs wonderfully with the spicy meats.

The dancing fountains put on a show as we enjoy our meal. Classical music and a lit-up water show – there are very few experiences in Doha that top this. It’s the perfect break between mains.

You can’t dine at an Indian restaurant and skip out on a good, hearty bowl of curry. Our host recommends the best seller – the Royal Chicken Changezi, with a side of Laccha Paratha. Tender pieces of boneless chicken are simmered in a rich onion and cashew nut-based gravy – there’s a hint of sweetness and a hint of spice. The curry is perfect to drown a piece of the crispiest, flakiest Indian bread.

While we love a good butter chicken, we’re glad our server didn’t recommend that and directed us towards something more unique and definitely worth returning for, though we’ll probably try the butter chicken on our next visit.

Chef Kumar knows the intricacies of Indian spices and flavours and every dish, no matter how transformative, still manages to retain the authenticity of its roots.

The grand finale is nothing short of a showstopper. Delicate rounds of the humble gulab jamun are piled up and presented in a unique serving – a base of kunafa, topped with three generously sized gulab jamuns, with a dollop of ice cream. It’s sinful, sweet (as we’d expect of an Indian dessert) and a worthy finale to one of Doha’s finest casual Indian dining experiences.

The service is top notch. All the servers greet us and always check on us. They’re friendly and knowledgeable and tell us the story behind our dishes of choice. It’s what we expect at an Indian restaurant, but here our expectations are surpassed.

The menu is extensive enough to make us want to return. We’ve saved our favourites for next time already – the Butter Chicken Soho Risotto, Lamb Keema Thali and Short Rib Biryani all await. An unforgettable evening indeed. ✤

GO: CALL 3052 5000 FOR MORE INFORMATION OR TO MAKE A BOOKING.