Marina Indian Restaurant is a Seaside-Themed Foodie Destination

Bright blue mariner lights line the walls of Marina Indian Restaurant, a restaurant in Frisco that opened earlier this year. Named after India’s famous Marina beach, the restaurant is decorated to reflect that theme. With door frames outlined in sailor’s anchors and tables adorned in seashells, the restaurant was designed with the very purpose of making you feel at sea … with better food, of course.

Menu options here span the range of almost every region of India. Marina sells both well-known North Indian specialties like paneer tikka and local recipes like kothu parotta. With just a few menu items, your palate can take a tour of the entire Indian subcontinent.
Start with the Highway Chili dish ($11.99) that comes with either crispy cauliflower or chicken, coated in a chili garlic sauce. A popular dish served in North India, it's cooked in a deep pan along the side of the highway, hence the name.

The appetizer selection also covers a range of chaats, tandoori dishes and seafood plates: a good homage to the diverse array of food available in India. Try one, two or even three if you’re seeking an adventure.
Main courses here are no less plentiful. Go for the kothu parotta ($11.99) if you can. The dish is a South Indian twist on the classic Indian delicacy called Paratha. The flaky paratha pastry is first shredded into small pieces and then mixed in with onions, tomato and Indian spices. Order it with your choice of protein: Indian cheese, egg or chicken. Another popular dish at Marina is the thattu idli ($9.99), a savory South Indian cake made of fermented rice. The dish is served with a side of tomato curry and coconut chutney for some extra flavor contrast.

The mutton kola ($15.99) is another exotic dish here. A traditional food from the Indian province of Chettinad, the plate comes with a tower of minced mutton balls, deep-fried for a crispy exterior layer. Of course, if you’re looking for something more identifiable, Marina carries the classic chicken tikka ($15.99) and naan bread ($2.50) too. You’re free to experiment as little (or as much) as you’d like.
Wash your meal down with a cold glass of jigarthanda ($5.99), an authentic Indian drink known for being served on roadsides. It comes with sweetened milk topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. On the bottom, you’ll find a chewy gum extracted from the inside of the almond nut. Vaguely reminiscent of a vanilla milkshake, the drink comes with a faint almond flavoring that makes it all the more interesting. Scoop it with a spoon or gulp it straight from the glass; either way is just as satisfying.

Owner Pradeep Govindaswamy says he used Marina Beach as a model for his restaurant given its relaxed walks, pretty sunrises, elaborate entertainment and traditional Indian street food. One thing’s clear: you’ll no longer have to travel all the way to India to experience the great flavors of the Indian seaside.

Marina Indian Restaurant, 4617 Coit Road, No. 130, Frisco. Tuesday – Thursday, noon – 10 p.m.; Friday – Saturday, noon – 10:30 p.m.; Sunday, noon – 10 p.m.; closed Monday.