American Gymkhana’s Private Preview Event

I was able to attend a preview event here and I had an amazing time. All of my past experiences with Indian food have been less than great so I was not expecting a whole lot of this restaurant. Boy was I surprised!
Finding the restaurant was a tad interesting since it’s on a second level and I really was not expecting that. The walk up the stairs was beautifully lined with tea candles and it really set the mood. Once I walked into the restaurant I noticed how modern it is with a twist of tradition. I especially liked the vintage photographs on the walls. It brought together old and new very nicely.
The food was impeccable and I couldn’t get enough. The Gymkhana Chicken is AWESOME! I actually befriended one of the waitresses and she kept saving food for me: D
Furthermore, I ended up spending the majority of the evening talking to the «mixologist» for the bar. He told me he was the mixologist at the Michelin star restaurant associated with American Gymkhana in New York. He was also the #1 bartender in India. CRAZY! He poured a perfect drink every. single. time. The Adraki Punch was my favorite. It was incredible!
I’m really excited for this new addition to the area and am curious to see how the business evolves and how people respond to it. It’s a great new restaurant to have in Central Florida!

Stylized Indian cuisine with a dignified pedigree — the owner’s restaurant Junoon in NYC has been awarded a Michelin star, and he’s also opening a restaurant soon in Dubai. The space he’s created here is very open and stylish — modern but with definite «gymkhana» (colonial Indian hunting/​sports club) influences in the décor.
I was fortunate enough to attend a private tasting here last night and try many of the dishes and cocktails. They have several signature cocktails — the sparkling saffron cocktail is a light and refreshing choice and the Adraki Punch is a fruity, sweet selection served in awesome copper cups, and while both of those were good my favorite was the Jalisco Sour, a tequila drink made lively with just enough jalapeño and curry.
All of the food was excellent and beautifully presented. My favorites? The lamb chops were exquisite — tender and flavorful — as were the malpe shrimp in fennel butter. I also loved the cauliflower ghobi (a spicy cauliflower fritter), a dish I first discovered at an Indian restaurant in NYC and hadn’t had any approximation of here in Orlando until now. Other highlights included the lentil samosa and the juicy Gymkhana chicken. Service was attentive and personable. In all, an excellent addition to Restaurant Row for fine dining with a hint of spice :)

I attended a preview event for the opening of American Gymkhana and I was blown away. First let me state that I’ve never really eaten Indian Food so while I wanted to go just to see what the place was about, I was unsure about what to expect. AG is located on Sand Lake Drive in Dr. Phillips which is also referred to as Restaurant Row on the second floor of one of the plazas.
The venue is very modern and trendy; dimly lit with interesting chandeliers that looked like they were holding candles hanging from the ceilings. Upon entrance there is a bar and lounge area with tables for siting and room for standing. To the right was a room for private dining and as you continue to walk through the lounge area, you will find an open stylish dining area.
I chose a seat in the lounge area and as soon as I sat down a waiter came to provide me with drink options. I wasn’t sure what I wanted and he recommended the Adraki Punch which had a honey ginger flavor and was served in a cute copper mug. Prior to sitting, I went into the area meant for private dining where food was being served. I had the opportunity to try the Dahi Kebab, Samosas and Lamb Sliders. They were served with cilantro sauce and chutney. Although some of the food was a bit spicy it was all extremely flavorful. Once I sat, there were waiters and waitresses who continued to walk by with platters of different dishes and I tried the Adriki Ghobi which was a spicy fried cauliflower fritter, the Malpe Shrimp, which was a large shrimp served in a pesto cilantro sauce, the Gymkhana Chicken and a second lamb dish that I don’t remember the name of lol. Everything was extremely tasty and I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed the food. The Malpe Shrimp was absolutely my favorite :)
If you’re ever in the area and in the mood for great dining atmosphere and even greater food I highly recommend American Gymkhana. You won’t be disappointed!

What a very nice event! I have a good feeling about American Gymkhana as an ddition to the Dr. Phillips area.
The entrance was a slight challenge to find but once I did, WOW! I love the space and the way that is has been designed to have separate areas. There are 2 bars — one located up front and one in the rear. I think that the private area in the back along the windows is just absolutely adorable. The décor and ambiance for the event was very nice and made it really feel like an elegant evening out. They had low lighting and tons of candles around. I am hoping that this ambiance wasn’t just for the party.
I liked all of the staff that I had the opportunity to interact with; everyone was fun, entertaining, knowledgeable and helpful. The food samples and the specialty cocktails were amazing. Some of my favorite samples include the malpe shrimp, lamp chops, cauliflower ghobi, gymkhana chicken, lamb sliders, the cheese stuffed peppers and samosa. As for cocktails, I enjoyed the saffron champagne and adraki punch.
I am happy that I was able to attend the pre-​opening event. I am that this was a preview of not just the food and beverages but of how things are expected to be as a normal part of running the business. I hoping to keep this place on my list of regular places in Dr. Phillips.

Got to attend the private tasting here and it was fabulous. This is located on the second floor! Just in case you have trouble finding it.
The restaurant was beautifully decorated which seemed like a modern take of a Indian inspired lodge. There is plenty of space at the bar, the main dining, a relaxing lounge area and even a banquet room.
Some of the samples I tried that was absolutely amazing was the lamp chops, shrimp and chicken. I’m not usually a fan of lamb, but their lamb chops definitely turned me into one! The shrimp was so plump and juicy and the chicken and was wonderfully flavorful and tender.
There was other items like samosas and lamb kebabs and a few others that I wouldn’t be able to spell correctly. lol but were all delicious. There wasn’t a single thing that I didn’t like.
And the cocktails! I tried about 3 or 4 different ones and It won’t disappoint you. It had a few flavors you don’t usually find in your cocktails like ginger or grapefruit. Gives it that extra kick.
Service was great. One particular server was amazing and I believe his name was Gregg! Kudos to him for being wonderful!
Thank you Unilocal and Andi on giving this opportunity to attend this amazing tasting event! Can’t wait to come in and officially dine!