India on a plate, tweaked for Brisbane tastes. That’s the modus operandi of Old Monk Modern Indian, a restaurant nestled on Baroona Road on the cusp of Paddington and Rosalie. The owners of Old Monk have sought to fill a gap in the local market with a funkier form of contemporary Indian chow, enhancing a traditional regional-inspired foundation with unconventional twists and a sharp focus on presentation. This ethos has manifested in the form of dishes like aromatic ajwaini fish tikka, Joyful Flavour Balls (small, crispy puffed breads filled with boiled potato and chickpeas, topped with yogurt and chutney), northern India-inspired slow-cooked goat on the bone with onion and tomato masala, lamb-shank korma with creamy cashew sauce, and vegan butter chicken. The menu features a mixture of small and large dishes that are purposefully designed to mix and match. Old Monk is currently BYO-friendly, but once a liquor licence is obtained expect the 50-seater venue to serve a range of Indian-themed cocktails.