When Ranjit Chimni first arrived in the Philippines back in 2008, opening his own restaurant never even crossed his mind. Fresh from New Delhi, he built a career in the country’s burgeoning BPO industry, spending years in the corporate world and establishing a life far from home.
But food, he confessed, had always been a constant. “I’ve always been passionate about food. I just never got down to doing anything about it.”
That changed in 2015 when, faced between returning to India after living close to a decade in the Philippines or staying put, he chose the latter and finally gave a longtime itch to try the F&B industry a scratch.
He observed, at that time, that authentic Indian cuisine remained largely underrepresented in Manila’s dining scene. “When it was time for me to go back, I decided to stay on,” he says. “There wasn’t much going on here in terms of Indian cuisine. I felt there was potential, so I decided to give it a shot. He took a leap of faith and, in June 2016, opened the first Mantra Indian Kitchen & Bar in Makati.
Beyond Butter Chicken: Agni by Mantra Showcases Regional Indian Cuisine
It has been ten years since and, what once was just a passion project, has given birth to even more avenues to promote the cuisine, expanding the brand with Agni by Mantra, a more contemporary concept that explores India’s vast regional diversity. This growth, if anything, reflects not only the restaurant’s longevity but also the growing appetite of Filipinos for Indian cuisine.
While Mantra was designed to feel like home, with a menu that features familiar north Indian dishes served family-style, Agni by Mantra offers items in individual portions and takes diners on a culinary journey through the country’s distinct regions.
This branding was recently reinforced with Agni’s successful collaboration with Rhea Rizzo of Mrs. Saldo’s, a partnership that, Chimni said, came naturally. He knew that she had previously worked with celebrated Indian chef Gaggan Anand, and had spent ample time traveling throughout India, giving her a firsthand understanding of its cuisine.
“She’s one of the easiest people in the industry for me to talk to,” he says. “I thought it would be a good collaboration, and hopefully it becomes something more than just a one-off event.”
Agni by Mantra’s Four-Part Indian Culinary Series Begins With a Sold-Out Western India Menu
The collaboration is envisioned as a four-part series, each dinner focusing on a different region of the country. The first installment explores western India, a region Rhea has personally visited. Future editions will spotlight northern, eastern, and southern Indian cuisines.
The response was warm and very promising with both nights of the inaugural dinner sold out, filling Agni’s intimate 20-seat dining room.
The special meal started with four mouthwatering snacks in the form of a dabeli masala potato with tamarind date chutney and pomegranate caramel; a lamb “Sloppy Joe” seasoned with feta and pea puree lodged in a sweet roll; chicken kachori with pickled red beets and fried curry leaves; and a pork vindaloo cradled in a betel leaf dotted with mango yuzu kosho.
The hefty mains were served for guests to share: laal maas, a curry from Rajasthan featuring lamb; Goan fish coconut curry; and as a side, roasted pumpkin with cauliflower and pumpkin pakora. Biryani and naan bread were served to go with the spread.
How Mantra Won Over Filipino Diners One Meal at a Time
“The reception for Indian food in Manila has definitely changed,” he says. “A lot more Filipinos are traveling now. They’re getting exposed to different cuisines and becoming more adventurous.”
The challenge, he notes, has never been getting people to enjoy Indian food—it has been convincing them to try it in the first place.
“If I can get them to come in once, 90 percent of them come back.”
Ten years after opening Mantra, Chimni’s gamble appears to have paid off. What started as a former BPO executive’s passion project has grown into a platform for introducing Filipinos not only to Indian food, but to the stories, regions, and traditions behind it.
Mantra Indian Kitchen and Bar is located at Grand Midori, G-07 Bolanos Street, Legaspi Village, Makati, and Molito Lifestyle Center, Madrigal Avenue, Alabang, Muntinlupa.
Agni by Mantra is located at the Ground Floor, Comuna Building, 238 Pablo Ocampo Sr. Extension, San Antonio Village, Makati.
Frequently Asked Questions
Ranjit Chimni is the founder of Mantra Indian Kitchen and Bar and Agni by Mantra. Before entering the restaurant industry, he worked in the Philippine BPO sector after moving from New Delhi in 2008.
Mantra is an Indian restaurant brand in the Philippines known for serving authentic North Indian cuisine in Makati and Alabang.
Agni by Mantra is a contemporary Indian restaurant concept that highlights regional Indian cuisines through curated menus and special dining experiences.
Mantra Indian Kitchen and Bar opened in Makati in June 2016.
