It’s a feast that is simple, traditional, nourishing and unpredictably tasty. This Onam, Zambar presents Onam Sadhya, a grand feast comprising 24 dishes served on a banana leaf. ‘‘You can add as many more dishes as you want to this feast. I hope to reach the 64 mark soon,” says Chef Arun Kumar.
The menu by no stretch of imagination is spartan. Even as you are trying to place each flavour, an additional accompaniment is offered into your plate. It starts with rice, followed by sambar, parippu curry, rasam, pulissery, avial, thoran, puliyinji, inji curry, erissery, kaalam, olan, kootu curry, theeyal, pachadi, kichadi, pappada, achaar, upperi, sharkaravaratti, pazham, payasam and finally ends with prathama. ‘‘It is an experience to sit in a modern restaurant in one of the biggest malls in the city and savour food not served in fancy bone china but on a banana leaf. If I may add, it is best had with hand,” says the chef adding, that although the traditional Sadhya is quite sought after, it is hardly available in city restaurants.
While Sadhya is usually had sitting cross-legged on the floor, at the restaurant you can have it comfortably on the table. Interestingly, the rasam is served in a shot glass so your leaf doesn’t get drippy. The helpings are generous and you can ask for seconds and thirds. The butter-milk particularly is light and refreshing but the real star of the menu is the bitter gourd pickle. Even the regular items like pappadam and sambar are well flavoured.
The Onam offering is not just a favourite of the locals but is also much liked by the expats who we saw relishing the treat to the fullest.
Availability All through September
Time 12 noon to 4 pm
Venue Third Floor, Ambience Mall, Gurgaon.
-The Sunday Standard