Neon Tiger is the second (or third, depending on how you slice it) reincarnation of what was once a trendy Toronto Asian fusion restaurant. The latest version is the closest to owner Naveen Chakravarti's heart yet, and it might just be the best one, too.

It would be easy to understand why the average person, having gone through even a fraction of what Naveen Chakravarti has in recent years, would give up altogether: give up on their dreams, their business, and especially the strenuous day-to-day demands of the restaurant industry.

The calamities began when Chakravatri's Ossington mainstay, Oddseoul, suffered a devastating kitchen fire in the summer of 2024, just a week after he got the keys to another space on the buzzy strip that would eventually house his bar concept, Please and Thank You.

A couple of weeks after the fire, Chakravatri was diagnosed with stage 2 lymphoma and lung cancer. Not to be deterred, he got Oddseoul back on its feet and, shortly after completing a gruelling course of intensive chemo, he opened Please and Thank You at 108 Ossington Ave.

But the struggles wouldn't stop there. Six months into operating Please and Thank You, Chakravatri would learn that his heart, lungs and kidneys were all in failure: a side effect of his chemo treatments. Please and Thank You closed permanently as he focused on his health.

As I said, most people would have long since thrown in the towel. But most people aren't Naveen Chakravarti.

While he healed, Chakravatri considered his legacy on the city's restaurant industry. It's an illustrious one that's largely centred around Asian cuisines, in the case of Oddseoul and former Dupont staple Neon Tiger, plus a small departure towards French cuisine with his now-closed venture, Recette.

When considering the future of his businesses in the city, Chakravatri tells blogTO that he realized it was time to focus his efforts on creating something he could really, truly be proud of, and that, for him, would be achieved by going back to his own roots, and opening an Indian restaurant.

There was no better way to do it than by rebooting Neon Tiger. The concept originated on Dupont in 2021 before moving to Queen West in 2023 and ultimately shuttered in 2024, serving a blend of Asian cuisines under sultry pink neon signs.

 "We knew we were gonna bring it back, we just didn't know when," Chakravatri tells blogTO. Though, admittedly, he was always afraid of doing South Asian cuisine for fear that the city wouldn't receive it the way he intended.

"Everyone hears 'Indian' and pictures, like, Lahore Tikka House," Chakravatri jokes. This time, though, when his mother (whose photo, along with those of his father and family, line the stairway to the bathroom at the restaurant) suggested he give Indian cuisine a try, the idea stuck with him.

So, with a triumphant Instagram post, Neon Tiger was reborn in the former Please and Thank You space, with a menu designed by chef Akshat Chawla, packed with what he calls "real" Indian food: no butter chicken here.

The dishes you'll find at Neon Tiger aren't your dime-a-dozen Indian mainstays, though. Chawla creates an innovative menu that deftly weaves classic flavours, ingredients and dishes in unexpected ways.

The Velvet Avocado Kebab ($17) is just one example. Creamy kebab-seasoned avocado patties melt in your mouth while packing a considerable punch in the flavour department, helped by the refreshing kick of tomato salsa and spiced mayo.

The pan-Asian influences that made the original Neon Tiger such a hit still creep onto the menu from time to time, reinterpreted and mashed up with Indian dishes and flavours.

The Corn Cheese-O-Yaki ($17) is somewhere between an Indian pakora, Japanese takoyaki and Korean corn cheese. Fluffy cheese and corn fritters are laden with kimchi aioli and tonkatsu sauce with an added sprinkle of parmesan.

T.F.C. ($19) stands for tandoori fried chicken, and it's based on Chakravatri's own mother's tandoori recipe. The juicy chunks of perfectly marinated chicken are utterly addictive, drizzled with mango gastrique and perched atop a bath of herby green chutney.

If this were my family recipe, I'd guard it with my life. Luckily, my own family's recipes largely centre around crock pots and chicken breast, so I'm safe.

Speaking of chicken, the Midnight Charcoal Chicken ($25) is an absolute standout. Marinated in activated charcoal and finished with a dose of applewood smoke, this is a dish devoted to those of us who dive into the drumsticks with the crispiest-looking skin first.

The smoke and char flavour isn't overpowering, though: it's exactly as present as you'd hope it would be, cut by a refreshing hint of mint chutney and lemon squeezed over it.

The slow-cooked lamb vindaloo ($45) is another can't-miss. A tender lamb shank soaks up the creamy, spicy vindaloo to utterly rich results. An order of garlic naan (or five) is a non-negotiable here.

Be warned: it does come with a kick, but it hurts so good.

The beverage program is similarly inventive, and rightfully so. Chakravatri's intention with Neon Tiger is for it to be a place where folks are equally inclined to have a sit-down meal as they are to visit on a night out.

The ever-popular espresso martini, for example, is reimagined as the Espresso Flip ($18), with the addition of banana liquor and a whole egg for a full-bodied, creamy sip that leaves the cocktail feeling somewhere between a drink and dessert.

Don't let the Tropicalia's ($18) demure appearance fool you: this drink will go straight to your knees. Consisting of white rum, dark rum, Campari and almond orgeat, it's delightfully bitter with a tropical twist, no pineapple juice or coconut milk required.

Neon Tiger is located at 108 Ossington Ave.