A meal at Savya Rasa Delhi will take you on an epic South Indian culinary trail navigating through its lesser-known appetising gems. By Kumar Shree
“The more you know, the more you realise you don’t know,” I recall Aristotle’s words as I wrap up my meal—the best I’ve had in a long time—at Savya Rasa. Despite being an avid fan of the cuisine, it is the first time that I’ve had an entire South Indian meal without any Dosa, Vada, Idli or Sambhar on my plate, and I’m not complaining!
Savya Rasa Delhi is located at COMMONS–DLF Avenue Saket’s dedicated dining district. The promenade and the ground floor exude a chic upmarket vibe. It feels like walking through a European dining district. Once you navigate through all this to reach the first floor, Savya Rasa feels like an entirely different world. The ambience is warm and minimalist. I feel like walking into the courtyard of a South Indian home where servers donning traditional South Indian attires welcome me. Natural light flows abundantly through the large windows enhancing the prana of the space while soulful Carnatic music lazily drift in the backdrop. The magic here is unmissable!
I begin my culinary expedition with the perfect summer cooler, Vasantha Neer, a sweet concoction made of fresh coconut water, coconut cream, and honey. Next comes the Thengai Paal Rasam, a warm nourishing soup from the Kongu Nadu region of Tamil Nadu; the soup is made of rich coconut milk tempered with ghee.
After a while, I’m offered their quintessential vegetarian and non-vegetarian platters. The non-veg platter features Neikaranpatti Narukattu Gola Urundai–minced mutton meatballs tied with banana threads; Pallipalayam Chicken--a spicy chicken preparation; and Yeral Varuval–pan-tossed prawns with lentil powder, green chilly slices and spices. Each dish unfurls a gamut of rich Indian flavours.
On the other hand, the vegetarian platter offers Beetroot Gola Urundai–deep-fried beetroot balls infused with rich masalas; Pallipalayam Kalaan–a delectable mushroom preparation; and Paneer Monica–deep-fried cottage cheese marinated in ginger-garlic paste, pan tossed with yoghurt and served with green chillies.
For mains, I indulge in Pollachi Kari Pulabamu (a mutton gravy preparation) with Bun Parota (multi-layered crunchy parota in the shape of a bun), and Mutton Biryani made with Sira Ga Sambu rice and spices from the Kongu Nadu region. Each morsel feels wholeosme and full-flavoured.
For vegatarians, I would highly reccomend their Kaalam Therakalli (mushroom cooked in a rich gravy of pulses), and Kalaikondi Sadam (flavoured rice with betel leaves, fried garlic, and lentil powder) along with Thengai Kaadu (coconut and yoghurt pachdi tempered with mustard).
For desserts, I try their Badam Halwa, Kabuniachi Halwa, and Ellinair pudding. The last one is a coconut water pudding set with china grass and topped with whipped coconut cream. However, the Kabunuachi Halwa steals my heart, too! It is made with ground black rice from Burma, ghee, pistachio, and lots of nuts.
Lastly, I gulp down a piping hot cup of Filter Kaapi to wash it all down.
Where: Shop no 242, First Floor, DLF Avenue, Saket, New Delhi – 110017
Timings: 12 pm to 11 pm
Price for two: INR 1,800 (approx.)
P.S — this food review was done before the second wave hit India.
Editor’s Note: Keeping the current situation of the pandemic in mind, T+L India recommends every reader to stay safe and take all government-regulated precautions in case travel at this time is necessary. Please follow our stories on #IndiaFightsCorona for all the latest travel guidelines.
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