BENGALURU:Get introduced to’ Sattvic cuisine’ at Sattvam. The restaurant that recently opened another outlet in JP Nagar, serves a host of dishes on its buffet, including south Indian, north Indian and desi Chinese cuisines, and offers chef’s special tasting menu if pre-booked.
As we took the elevator to the restaurant on the second floor, we heard a family talking about how good the food is at the restaurant and they are surprised to learn that food without onions and garlic could also taste good. What they said isn’t wrong. With their unique and interesting combination of ingredients, the food is indeed tasty and satisfying.
Chef Aditya says that many people have misconceptions about Sattvic food. “They think it’s raw food and served on banana leaves. But the actual principles of Sattvic cooking is different. It should be consumed within four hours of cooking and hence, we make fresh food throughout. There are specific ways, and styles of cooking we follow,” he says.
We were welcomed with a saffron-based lemonade. The drink also had tulsi and dry fruits. Though it was refreshing after a long day’s work, it was also too sweet. To kill some time before we started with the appetisers and the mains, we were served the Aam Ras and Puri. It took us back to our childhood days when we’d wait for the mango season, and have everything, including bread, with aam ras. The mini puris were an interesting add to it. Thereafter, the Ragi Pomelo Papdi Chaat took us by surprise. The not-sour, not-tart-like flavour and the crispiness of the papdi chaat, is a perfect blend of flavours.
Next, on a plate with four sections, we were served some tikkis and bhajji. The broken wheat and walnut kebabs called Daliya Akhrot Tikki, were griddle roasted with mild spices to perfect and had a grainy taste. Served hot, Palak Makai Galawti, baby spinach and corn tikkis, had a nutty rich flavour due to ghee. Marinated in black sesame paste and spices, Kale Til Ka Paneer Tikka had creamy and soft paneer, chargrilled in tandoor, with a slight bitter taste due to the paste. On another section was Mini Capsicum Bhajji. The fritter, was stuffed with mashed potato, tasted good.
Krishna Worthy Kadhi, a delicacy from the temple of Nathdwara in Rajasthan had raw and ripe mangoes in it. The tangy and slight sweet taste blended well in the bright yellow gravy. You could try Hare Seb Ki Sabzi with a piece of Jowar Matar Paratha, stuffed with peas and a lavish spread of ghee, or Paanch Anaj ki Roti. The green apple tastes like a mango pickle with Indian spices.
The most interesting combination was the Rasgulla Palak. Who could imagine that rasgulla can be served with baby spinach gravy? The rasgulla looked bright in the thick green colour gravy of spinach. Gatta Broccoli Pulao, as the name suggests, had the gram flour dumplings and broccoli, yet another unexpected combination in the Indian rice. The plate looked bright with the colourful veggies. The bitterness of broccoli, sweetness of carrot and the rich aroma of the rice was a treat to all senses. Try a spoonful of it with Kale Chane Ka Raita.
For desserts, we tried Ragi Semiyan Payasam and their in-house specialty, Jasmine infused Kulfi. The dense and creamy treat was the best climax to the meal.