Omnivore - Dining on the Silk Road

• www.tantraatlanta.com

Tantra is the newest resident of the space last occupied by Ibiza, next door to the Imperial Fez in South Buckhead.

The restaurant features an interior that is meant to be highly sensual. It’s red and gold and includes a very large piece of art depicting a couple cuddling. The name comes from a Hindu and Buddhist path to enlightenment that sometimes includes sex. In the American understanding of tantra, it’s usually about nothing but sex and pleasure.

The food here is mainly quite good. While a lot of the dishes appear to be the usual around town, many of Tantra’s include surprising, sometimes exotic ingredients. These are inspired by The Silk Road, the ancient route from Europe to the Far East.

My favorite dish was a short rib cooked in a pomegranate sauce and served with a clump of mustard greens and collards. You get sweet, sour, bitter and earthy flavors.

More later this week in “Grazing.”