The team behind Red Chili Indian Cuisine & Bar recently debuted a new concept called Mint & Martini, an Indian and Italian fusion restaurant, at 2490 Taylor Road in the Dierbergs Town Center in Wildwood, in the former home of Botanica.
Mint & Martini opened earlier this summer and has been serving up fusion dishes like the maharani curry and a Tikka Vikka pizza, two of Mint & Martini owner Ripal Patel’s favorite dishes on the menu. Patel said that she wanted to create a menu for a broader audience, without just focusing on Indian cuisine.
“This is an Indian fusion of Italian, so we have some pizzas, pasta, and stuff for a broader audience, not just Indian [cuisine],” Patel said.
Out of the oven comes the Tikka Vikka pizza, which substitutes the classic pizza red sauce for a spiced tomato- and cream-based sauce that adds a sweet and earthy touch. Never pass up on the opportunity to try Mint & Martini’s signature curry sauce, the maharani sauce. Customers can choose from shrimp, chicken or salmon or opt for a vegetarian, potato-based version called the maharani aloo.
Make sure to wash it all down with a Mint & Martini, something off the cocktail menu that Patel describes as “completely different.” It’s made with mint leaf, simple syrup, vodka, a peppermint pastille, dry vermouth and sauvignon blanc wine. Don’t skip out on trying the rest of Mint & Martini’s extensive drink menu, which offers 10 varieties of martinis, spirits and some interesting nonalcoholic concoctions, such as a paan shot and a rose lassi, a yogurt-based drink.
Mint & Martini’s quaint and partially hidden-from-view location provides a perfect spot for patio seating. The 4,000-square-foot patio can house nearly 100 guests to sit outside and enjoy the sunshine, including an outdoor bar. Complete with a bar, a buffet area and a banquet hall, the 6,750-square-foot interior feels light and airy, with plenty of windows for natural light.
Mint & Martini opens at 11 a.m. daily, closing at 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and at midnight on Friday and Saturday. Follow Mint & Martini on Instagram and Facebook for updates.
This article appears in August 2024.