“Not your typical Indian joint” claims the enigmatically-named Horn Please in Fitzroy North, Melbourne. We are inclined to agree wholeheartedly. To begin with there’s the menu. It’s out with the usual four page booklet offering seemingly endless permutations on chicken and lamb dishes, and in with an informal selection of family favourites and street food-inspired plates from the formative years of chef Jessi Singh, who adds some innovative originals of his own to the ever-changing list.
The restaurant, owned by Jessi and wife Jennifer doesn’t go down the usual road on the décor either. It’s a very light and airy dining room, eschewing the usual fussy curtains and maroon tablecloths in favour of a white background adorned with pretty counter tiling and bold painted script – Hindi to the untrained eye, but don’t quote us. The stretches of blank wall canvas, sporadically embellished with intriguing Indian art, allows for colourful projections in the low light of the evening. Different in the very best sense.
