Savya Rasa Celebrates South Indian Cuisine In All Its Glory

In this blog post, I cover Savya Rasa, a new fine dining South Indian restaurant in Ardee Mall, Gurugram.

Want to take an epicurean journey through Southern India? If your answer is in the affirmative, head straight to the newly opened Ardee Mall in Gurugram and find your way to Savya Rasa, the first-of-its-kind fine dining restaurant that celebrates South Indian cuisine in all its glory. The only outlet, perhaps, where you get to taste authentic cuisines from major culinary regions of South India.

Savya Rasa

Created with the intent of offering authentic South Indian fare on your plate through an exclusive fine dining experience, Savya Rasa tries to relook at traditional cuisines of Mangaluru, Mysuru, Nellore, Kongunadu, Chettinad, Nasrani, and Malabar.

The restaurant does not stray too far from essential cooking methods yet manages to innovate through years of research and learnings from local cooks, chefs, grandmothers, and housewives. This has culminated in an elaborate menu with authentic dishes from seven regions of South India, each with its distinct cultural identity.

Coastal Cuisine at Savya Rasa

Coastal Cuisine at Savya Rasa

Coastal Cuisine at Savya Rasa

What's remarkably well done is the use of flavorful, indigenous ingredients in every dish, cooked with an amazing eye to detail. Team Savya Rasa has traveled extensively across the aforesaid regions of South India and worked with locals to ensure that authenticity is never compromised.

Coastal Cuisine at Savya Rasa

Coastal Cuisine at Savya Rasa

You'll be surprised how effectively the team has incorporated the cultural aspects and attributes into the dining experience to help you understand the heritage and history of modern-day South India.

Coastal Cuisine at Savya Rasa

Coastal Cuisine at Savya Rasa

Coastal Cuisine at Savya Rasa

Let's admit it ... because of the stereotypes that exist in our country, for most people outside of Southern India, the quintessential South Indian food comprises only of Idli, Vada, Sambar, Dosa, etc. If you're more traveled and aware, you probably know a bit about Rasam, Appam, Puttu, or Kadala curry.

The truth is - South Indian cuisine has all this and much more!

Coastal Cuisine at Savya Rasa

Coastal Cuisine at Savya Rasa

Coastal Cuisine at Savya Rasa

Several regions within South India have unique histories that have influenced their culture as well as cuisine.

Savya Rasa attempts to break out of the deep-rooted stereotypes to offer you a wide variety of delicacies carefully picked from South India.

Here are my top recommendations at Savya Rasa.

Beverages

Start your epicurean journey at Savya Rasa with refreshing all-season drinks like the Kulukki Sherbet, Nannari Sherbet, Vasantha Neer, Rose Milk, Neer Moru, or Rasatini. Your favorites Filter Kaapi and Sulemani Black Tea are also available ... and the best part is you can enjoy these hot beverages with three variants of sugar - coconut, palm, and sugarcane!

Beverage at Savya Rasa

Soups

Forget about boring packaged or ready-to-serve soups. At Savya Rasa, all soups are freshly prepared for ultimate flavor and comfort, adding excitement to the otherwise drab winter days.

Pineapple Rasam
Enjoy this sweet, tangy, and spicy rasam made with pineapple, tamarind juice, black pepper, and traditional spices.

Mutton Nenju Elumbu Rasam
By far the yummiest rasam I've ever tasted, this broth soup is made from mutton ribs and Chettinad spices. Considered a perfect cure for sore throat and cold.

Rasams at Savya Rasa

[PS: Nandu Rasam is another good option for this season, made with crab, black pepper, shallots, green chili, coconut, and traditional spices.]

Food

Starters

Narukattu Gola Urundai
Savya Rasa is the only restaurant in India serving this dish, in which lamb is cooked at least three times before serving.

Podi Idli Fry
Coming straight from the region of Kongu Nadu - the western part of Tamil Nadu - are these crispy fried buttons of steamed idlis, tossed with homemade roasted gun powder.

Podi Idli Fry

Chutney Paniyaram
For the uninitiated, Paniyaram is made with fermented urad dal and raw rice batter. The rice and lentils are steeped overnight, stone-ground into a batter, seasoned with tempered mustard, onion, turmeric powder, stuffed with two types of chutney and shallow-fried in a customized cast iron pan. Served with spicy red chutney and tangy green chutney.

Chutney Paniyaram at Savya Rasa

Pollichathu
Considered a Syrian Christian household delicacy, Pollichathu is a luscious tangy gravy wrapped with the choice of your fish (Aykora, Ayla, Kari Meen) in a banana leaf and then grilled on a Tawa. The marination is done with tamarind, cinnamon, onion, and black pepper.

Pollichathu at Savya Rasa

Pollichathu at Savya Rasa

Pollichathu at Savya Rasa

Rava Fry
If you like fried seafood, you can order Rava Fry. Your choice of fish marinated in fiery red chili paste, coated in semolina, and fried to golden glory.

• Anjal
• Kane
• Bangudey
• Yetti

Rava Fry at Savya Rasa

Main Course

Tamatar Pappu
A popular Andhra dish, Tamatar Pappu is made from country tomatoes cooked with yellow lentils, Gundu chili, and spices. Best eaten with Idiyappa idli.

Chemeen Manga Curry
Another winner at Savya Rasa is this Kerala style curry made with prawn and raw mango cubes in coconut gravy.

Breads

Bun Parotta
Did you know that Bun Parotta is the most famous street food item in Madurai? One of the bestsellers at the restaurant, the Bun Parotta is a fluffy multi-layered bread made with refined wheat flour, egg, and butter - cooked on a griddle!

Breads at Savya Rasa

Kalaan Dosai
The preparation of Kalaan Dosai is unique. Fiber-rich oyster mushrooms cooked with onions and spices, smeared on a rice pancake then griddled on a hot plate.

You can also try the Godhi Roti made with wheat flour, shallots, and curry leaves. If you want something real quick, go for the extremely easy-to-make Appams.

Desserts

Kavuni Arisi Halwa
This decadent Halwa is made with Kavuni rice native to Burma, brought to India by the Chettiar community. The halwa is roasted and cooked with milk till thick yet coarse in the middle and garnished with cashew nuts.

Decor

Savya Rasa's decor is a beautiful blend of the exquisiteness and vibrancy of different parts of Southern India, combining the cultural and artistic elements in equal measure. The carefully curated artifacts, architectural elements, and music accentuate your overall experience of the space.

Decor at Savya Rasa

Decor at Savya Rasa

Decor at Savya Rasa

Decor at Savya Rasa

Decor at Savya Rasa

Decor at Savya Rasa

Saanvi (my adorable daughter) at Savya Rasa

Savya Rasa is currently hosting a Coastal Food Festival at its premises from December 18, 2019, to January 15, 2020. Come, indulge in this unique effort that blends traditional South Indian cooking with an ambiance that pays homage to the glorious culture of the region.