Indicana — Restaurant in Spokane

Four of us went the other night. We had reservations and were seated right away which was nice since the place was completely packed. Service was wonderful and staff was very attentive. We started off with some drinks that ran 12 to $14 each and they were served in water cups. Two of us got margaritas that were served In the same cups that are water was served in. That's pretty lame. We started off with an appetizer of just nacho chips that comes with salsa, a cheese sauce and guacamole. The chips were tasty but I later realized that this handful of chips and very shallow serving bowls of sauces was $15. My wife got the chicken skewers dish and she says it was really perfect and very very flavorful. Myself and another got the ribs. It was very dried out, tough meat and we had to fight to get the meat off the bone. Pork rib meat should come off the bone very very easily. I guess it was flavored well but for $32, I don't think so. Our last friend got the sweet potato enchiladas and she said it was okay. For dessert we got the flourless chocolate torte and we got a very small piece for $10. It came with four spoons and each of us took a bite (I took a second bite because there is chocolate in the name!) But we all put our spoons down and no one went for any more bites and we left half the dessert when we left. When no one had a four people want to finish a chocolate dessert, that could be a problem. It was very dry and didn't really impress us. The ambiance was decent enough but nothing too impressive. I saw in another review someone said that the acoustics were wonderful. I wonder whether they were at the wrong place. We struggled so hard to hear one another. We felt like we were raising our voices just to be heard. Sadly, one of our friends went silent halfway through the evening and later on called us and apologized and said that she just had so much trouble hearing anyone that she just got frustrated and didn't even want to talk anymore. They kept playing with the music volume while we were there, even sometimes making us all look up at the ceiling and we said, " really? " Three drinks, four entrees and one dessert came out to $200. It's entirely way too overpriced for the quality of food and for the atmosphere. I was being generous with the three-star review but don't want to be a complete jerk. We really wish them well but sadly here are four people who will most likely...

Fusion cuisine can be an exciting exploration of culinary creativity when done right, blending the best of two worlds into something innovative and flavorful. Unfortunately, the Indicana missed the mark, turning what could have been an extraordinary culinary experience into a disappointment.

The menu items sounded promising, with dishes like Saag Huarache and Malai Chicken Skewers. The Saag Huarache was a creative concept, but the execution fell flat. The base, a masa huarache, lacked the earthy robustness that makes this traditional Mexican dish satisfying. Meanwhile, the saag topping, usually a deeply spiced and flavorful spinach curry, was watered down and one-dimensional, losing its signature richness.

The Malai Chicken Skewers, marinated in spiced yogurt and served over two dueling sauces—a bright mole verde and a creamy korma masala—looked visually appealing but were ultimately underwhelming. The mole verde lacked the punchy acidity and herby complexity expected, while the korma masala was overly creamy and cloyingly sweet, masking any nuance of spices. Instead of complementing each other, the sauces seemed to clash.

The sides, including a cheesy esquite-stuffed poblano pepper and tandoori slaw, further illustrated the restaurant’s struggle to harmonize the two cuisines. The stuffed poblano, which could have been a delightful fusion, was overly rich and lacked balance, while the tandoori slaw was dry and underseasoned, offering none of the smoky warmth or tangy brightness associated with tandoori dishes.

What makes Indian and Mexican cuisines so extraordinary is their ability to layer bold, complex flavors, each bite telling a story. Here, the fusion attempted to bridge these traditions but ended up diluting the best elements of both. The heart and soul of these cuisines—depth, balance, and vibrancy—were sadly lost in translation.

While I appreciate the creativity behind the concept, execution matters. Fusion cuisine demands not just innovation but a deep respect and understanding of the culinary traditions it seeks to merge. I truly hope the restaurant reconsiders its approach because the idea has potential. Until then, this is one fusion experiment I...

Reservation for three people @ 8pm (all of us early 40’s). Two from Seattle, one from Spokane. We arrived at 8 and sat down right away, so that was nice. We ordered the Pollo Asado, Steak and Batatas, and the Tamarind Pork Ribs with chips and guacamole with queso for an app. Half way through the meal (~8:45pm) our server asked if we wanted to order dessert since the kitchen would be closing at 9pm. That’s sad. You can’t even get halfway through a meal without being pushed out. What a joke. $200 for three people. Worst of all. The server gave us our bill while we were still eating. We paid and while we were still socializing, she took the paid check off the table! Pushed out again. This IMO is one of the rudest gestures a host can make.

The food was good. Not great. The steak was ordered medium rare and was very rare. This should have been comped, since she was kindly informed of the incorrect temp that it was cooked to. In the end the steak had only been about 25% consumed. She apologized for the mistake but did not comp the meal. The ribs were “fall-off-the-bone”. IMO that means they’re over cooked. They were out of the shrimp and grits. Another disappointment here. Nothing we ordered was so unique that left any of us shocked. As you could imagine the merge of spices left the pallet tingling with Indian spices but the dishes presented as Mexican. I think we all enjoyed the flavors, I know I did. As for drinks, I ordered the recommended cocktail (“Sonoma Sunset”), which tasted like straight Tropicana juice w/o tequila or the essence of the other ingredients listed. Then an “old fashioned” (on a special). This old fashioned was served correctly and was enjoyed.

We all enjoyed the queso and chips, guacamole and salsa.

All in all, our expectations were high due to the rants and raves we’ve heard through the grapevine. There’s a desperate need for something different and they’ve done well at attempting to satisfy this. However, ambiance, value, service and culinary experience were all average at best. I’m sure we’ll give it another shot, but certainly not at 8pm. And when they leave the check, it will sit there until we’re...