Like Sambar,Zambar
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Zambar has a mix of Southern flavours Concept: The word Zambar is derived from the word Sambar, is a first of its kind endeavour to present to you more than just 'Idlis and Dosas' in the name of South Indian cuisine. Starting from the state of Karnataka, which is popular for its use of mild spices and sweet tooth; love for curd in most of its cuisines, and a majority of vegetarian dishes to Kerala's diverse mixture of Malabar and Syrian cuisine with a pinch of coconut and loads of seafood. The Ambience: One side of the restaurant is in "boat shape" resembling Kerala house boats. There is a charm in boarding the boat and sitting on little benches and low tables. Zambar also strives to assist you feel the contemporary style of south Indian dining in a modern environment through the arrangement of a water body, lighting and service. The food: The restaurant serves food from the four south Indian states—Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, though the focus seems to be more on Tamil Nadu and Kerala cuisines. From the indispensable six flavours of an authentic Chettinad cuisine in Tamil Nadu; namely, sweet, sour, salty, bitter, pungent and astringent to the ever spicy Andhra known for its Hyderabadi biryanis and extensive use of chilli, oil and tamarind in its cuisine, Zambar strives to present a flavour so different yet as prevailing as Sambar. Our order: The menu is compact and would be a good idea to order a mixed snack platter. We ordered the mix match of vegetarian and non vegeratian as per the chef's choice. The vegetarian menu includes the dishes in paneer and baby corn, crispy fried in masala. The food: The offerings are full of flavour with the authenticity, different from each other, and you'll come back happy. I tired the fish egg vada that was pretty good, banana flower vada that is a typical Tamil Nadu preparation, Udupi egg roast, a Mangalorean delicacy and the chicken chukka, a Chettinad dish. The spicy curry leaf prawns, a speciality of Karakudi near Madurai, was amazingly delicious and was cooked just right. Dessert: For dessert, I happily dug into Shakarai Pongal and coconut jaggery pudding. — Bhawna Gandhi |