Man and woman who work at a restuarant
Sommelier Sienna Forde and Vaibhav Sawant, founder and chef of Fitoor. Photo by Robert Eliason.

Chef Vaibhav Sawant has infused the menu at Santana Row’s Fitoor Indian Grill and Lounge with a splendid selection of inventive takes, all immaculately plated and irresistible. But the Double Butter Daal Makhani, perhaps the simplest entree in appearance, belies the time and effort that goes into making it.

Served with flakey malabar paratha flatbread, the daal, a lentil dish, is soaked for 72 hours and then slow-cooked overnight. Topped with lines of white butter sauce, the dish is smooth and creamy without losing the texture and chew of the lentils. A spicy kaleidoscope of seasonings will keep you guessing, but Sawant mentioned ginger, dried fenugreek and red chili powder. It’s a magnificent dish.

Water Chestnut & Green Pea Kulcha. Fitoor. Photo by Robert Eliason.
Water Chestnut & Green Pea Kulcha. Photo by Robert Eliason.

The menu for Fitoor’s opening last April took only three months to create, but it involved a lifetime of experience. Sawant began cooking at age 15, when he learned to make tea for his mother’s guests, adding assorted spices like ginger. He graduated to making rotis and soon began working at the Ambassador Hotel in Mumbai.

His sense of style and desire for constant innovation come from his five years as a chef on cruise ships, some with as many as 2,500 passengers. As he pointed out, on a long voyage at sea, the daily routine for those passengers mainly varies with what the kitchen provides.

“You have to keep them interested in the food,” he told San José Spotlight. “The chefs had their own sections, and there would be different cuisines every night. It was very hard, and you worked continuously for seven to eight months.”

The cruise ship influence can be seen in Sawant’s creative presentations, such as the Water Chestnut & Green Pea Kulcha. The kulcha resembles a large and puffy bread balloon and is topped with a streak of creamy jalapeño topping. Cut open, it reveals a thin layer of a mildly spiced bright green pea and water chestnut puree. The buttery kulcha’s sourdough-like texture is irresistible, chewy and flavorful.

After his stint on cruise ships, Sawant returned to Mumbai and became head chef for the Masala Library and Farzi Cafe under the wing of Jiggs Kalra, known as the “czar of Indian cuisine.” Heavily influenced by Kalra, Sawant credits him with bringing traditional Indian cuisine to a modern level.

When he came to the Bay Area to launch Fitoor, Sawant was struck by the varieties of fruits and vegetables he hadn’t had the chance to work with in India. He eagerly began formulating his version of Indian-Californian cuisine.

“I saw so many different things,” he said, “so I thought, ‘Let’s make a twist and use the flavors of India on the ingredients here.’ We have a marinated sea bass, for example. The flavors are a combination of Mumbai and Calcutta, but the fish we are using is from here.”

Pulled Jackfruit Ghee Roast. Fitoor. Photo by Robert Eliason.
The kitchen can adjust the heat for many dishes, but some, like the black-peppery Pulled Jackfruit Ghee Roast, which edges toward a six, can’t be adjusted. Photo by Robert Eliason.

The variations are often playful, like the Papdi Chaat Nachos on the Shareables menu. Sawant has blended avocados, green peas and sprouts into his version of guacamole and topped it with mint and ruby-red date chutneys and a cheddar cheese spread. Laid out on a plate and studded with papdi crackers, like an alien caterpillar, the fruity date chutney gives the dish some sweetness and a compelling fire.

Fitoor General Manager Sienna Forde’s favorite dish on the Small Plates menu is the Beetroot Chevre Kebab. Crisp beetroot coleslaw is served alongside crusted and delicately flavored balls made from a blend of cottage cheese, goat cheese, cream cheese and labneh. They rest on a small puddle of mint chutney, and a dollop of mustard aioli completes and elevates the dish.

“I love cheese,” she told San José Spotlight, “but I don’t like stringy cheese, so it’s the perfect texture. The gravy is extremely flavorful, not too spicy, and well-balanced. And with some garlic naan? Chef’s kiss.”

Forde has been in the restaurant business for 15 years, but working with Indian food was a new experience. She is also a sommelier. Champagne and rose wines are Forde’s go-tos at Fitoor. She said they cut through the thicker curries and yogurts and have a low enough ABV to not exacerbate higher spice levels.

“You must remember that it is a heavily spiced cuisine,” she said. “There are a lot of underlying flavors that you try to bring out with the wine without having the food overshadow it — and vice versa. These wines are crisp, but not too crisp and not too high acid.”

Paneer Pepper 65 Spice. Fitoor. Photo by Robert Eliason.
The Paneer Pepper 65 Spice is a terrific dish for those who don’t mind a little heat. Photo by Robert Eliason.

While Sawant describes his own spice tolerance as a seven or eight out of 10, he is careful to keep most dishes at an American-friendly four. The kitchen can adjust the heat up or down the scale for many dishes, but some, like the black-peppery Pulled Jackfruit Ghee Roast, which edges toward a six, can’t be adjusted.

The Paneer Pepper 65 Spice happily sits at around a five and is a terrific dish for those who don’t mind a little heat. A patty of paneer, about the consistency of a veggie burger, is marinated overnight in a mild version of Indian 65 sauce. It’s coated and deep fried then served with a reduction of rassam, a rich and spicy South Indian soup. Its topped with a swirl of spicy cream and is a must-try.
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Sawant has switched out the menu once since opening and, with his relentless creativity, is getting ready to do it again.

“Cooking is my first priority,” he told San José Spotlight. “It’s my hobby. It’s my everything. I’ll start exploring and in a few days or weeks, I’ll have another dish. That’s my regular routine and I focus on it on a daily basis.”

Contact Robert Eliason at [email protected].

Editor’s Note: The Biz Beat is a series highlighting local small businesses and restaurants in Silicon Valley. Know a business you’d like to see featured? Let us know at [email protected].

Fitoor Indian Grill and Lounge

Located at  377 Santana Row, # 1140 in San Jose

(408) 705-2233

Hours:

  • Sunday to Thursday 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.
  • Friday and Saturday 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. (DJs at 6:30 p.m., fire dancers 6:30-8:30 p.m.)

Brunch Saturday and Sunday 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

[email protected]

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