In search of true bliss

WHEN I heard there was a bar that matched cocktails and small plates to customers’ chakras -- Hinduism’s seven energy centers of the human body -- I had to check it out. My vishuddha was feeling a little sore, so perhaps a Chakratini, as the new Chakra restaurant in Beverly Hills calls its chakra-friendly cocktails, would set it right.

I arrived during happy hour. I figured the bar would be thronged with people whose consciousness needed soothing.

It wasn’t, which just meant the three bartenders could really focus on me and the needs of my chakras.

“I hear you match cocktails to the seven chakras,” I said.

“We do?” she said.

“Yes, we do,” said another bartender.

It was up to me to figure out which one would best suit the needs of my energy centers. I studied an illustrated chart on the wall, showing the human body and its seven chakras. Anahata, the green chakra of the heart and emotions, looked like the ticket, since it governs balance. Or ajna, the chakra of the third eye, which the chart said was responsible for self-realization. I consulted the menu to see which sounded better. Anaha, the green one, had Midori, Malibu Rum, pineapple juice, Sprite and Pucker sour apple schnapps.

“Anaha,” I announced.

“We’re out of Midori,” said the bartender. “The orange one is really good -- Svadhi.”

I consulted the chart, which revealed that svadhi is the groin chakra relating to desire and sexuality. Who can’t use a little of that?

Chakra, which opened six weeks ago on South Doheny Drive, is the sister of the 2-year-old restaurant of the same name in Irvine. The bar is sleekly modern, in hues of orange and saffron, with fabric lanterns.

My friend Natalie arrived and went for the Ajna, purple. She was served something that was colored indigo.

No matter, the drinks were, well, OK. Then we focused on the small plates menu. The grilled tofu and masala were fabulous. The tofu had terrific, delicate ginger flavor; the shrimp was gorgeously spiced, with wonderful texture. Those small plates were so good, in fact, that we stayed for dinner.

We dined happily on “chicken sixty-five,” fried chicken breast with curry leaf, bell pepper and yogurt; baingan bharta, a tandoor-smoked crushed eggplant sauteed with tomatoes and onions; hansh e bansher, garlicky, yogurt-marinated roast duck with masala sauce; lasooni champen, flavorful tandoori lamb chops with spinach and kichidee rice.

The service still has a few kinks, but the servers couldn’t be nicer. We’ll be back.

brenner@latimes.com

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Chakra

Where: 151 S. Doheny Drive, Beverly Hills

When: Happy hour, Mondays to Fridays, 4 to 7 p.m.; dinner daily from 5:30 to 10:30 p.m. Also open for lunch. Full bar.

Cost: Chakratinis, $7 during happy hour, $14 other times; appetizers at the bar $7 during happy hour, $8 to $12 other times. Dinner appetizers, $9 to $18; entrees, $16 to $29; desserts, $8.

Info: (310) 246-3999; www.chakracuisine.com