Dumbbells and Drama

Pune offers a range of South Indian food options to patrons across budgets. However the South Indian food seems to have missed out on the “fine dining” category with only a handful of options being available in the city. We might be in love with our local tuck shops in the small by-lanes, but when it comes to experiencing the same aromas, flavour and warmth in a fine-dine setting, options are quite limited.

Let’s face it, not everyone has the guts to get South Indian cuisine right. This primarily boils down to the fact that not many have the palette to enjoy authentic south Indian meals. Also, not many are aware of the variety of options available in the south Indian cuisine as their knowledge remains limited to idli, dosa, vada and appam. Savya Rasa is here to change this notion, and we hope this segment of Indian cuisine gets the attention it deserves. 

savya rasa

Savya Rasa is a new player in this niche segment, and there’s a lot that I have to share about it. Should you head out to this new entrant or are we better off being restricted to humbler establishments? Let’s find out-

We found ourselves at Savya Rasa on a hot Wednesday afternoon where we were met with a smile and welcomed into a tranquil space that reverberated positive vibes. Nothing spells South Indian like interiors dominated by stone carvings, wooden furniture and metal figurines. Savya Rasa stands impressive in the complex next to Starbucks at Koregaon Park, a peaceful, happy place one could easily meditate in.

AMBIANCE

Walking up the stone steps though the wooden doorway into a large hall with wooden furniture and the traditional south Indian lamp made me feel at home. Beautiful paintings from regions famous down south adorned the otherwise white walls. I honestly LOVED the simplistic, ethnic decor- the earthy colors, the metal, the gold, the whites and the browns….it’s a comfort zone of sorts. I particularly loved the fact that they have gone all around south of India in the search for authentic items to accessorize the place with.The hand-made paintings, carvings, tiles, utensils and a lot more have been bought all the way from different regions down south. This shows how seriously they take their authenticity, and to be honest, I was mighty impressed way before the food was served on the table.

The seating arrangement is such that it allows one to have a private conversation in a cosy, peaceful corner. If you wish to be exclusive, 2 separate rooms offer tables for 6. I loved these rooms as they felt like a dining room one would have at home. Their authenticity game is on point! 

SERVICE

The service is brilliant – I noticed other tables were being taken care of without having to wait for someone to notice them first. The staff is knowledgeable, humble and friendly. Good folks, good vibes….I was definitely going to love this place.

FOOD

The menu is divided according to the regions. Which I personally feel makes it easier to remember (not to mention learn) the food items. To be honest, it’s quite an educational menu as you realise the difference between the flavours and ingredients in different regions. A lot of thought has been put into the menu which contains 140 dishes. So how was the food like? Let’s take a little tour-

savya rasa starters
Greetings from Savya Rasa

savya rasa vada

uppu kari
Mutton and cashews cooked with spices- this uppu kari literally melted in my mouth!
CHENIGA PAPPU VADA savya rasa
The Cheniga Pappu Vada is typically south Indian- quite like home 🙂
CHEMEEN PODI-ITTU VARUTHATHU savya rasa
The prawns are PURE LOVE. I could finish off one entire plate of this Chemeen Podi-ittu Varuthathu 🙂
IDIYAPPA IDLY savya rasa
I could probably eat 5 of these Idiyappa Idlis and not feel uncomfortable.
batata pathanja gassi dish savya rasa
The Batata Pathanja Gassi was a bit sour, and tasted a lot like sambhar. Not a big fan of this flavour, but hey, I know my south Indian friends totally DIG it!
chicken curry savya rasa
Well, so this chicken curry- Mamsa Bele Gojju- was sweet with a cashew base. And I fell in love (4 helpings yo!)

DIBBA ROTI savya rasa

THALASSERY MEEN BIRIYANI savya rasa
Thalassery Meen Biryani- Beautiful blend of flavours and succulent pieces of fish that melt in your mouth. Quite a refreshing change from the usual masala-heavy biryanis we get otherwise.
fish biryani savya rasa
The fish biryani is to be eaten with a date-pickle and chilly-powder
desserts savya rasa
DESSERTS! -Kumbuda Halwaand Godhi Huggi
The meal ended with Sukku Kaafi (black coffee with ginger) an Filter Kaafi. PURE BLISS. I’d probably just go back for the coffee. SO MUCH LOVE.
paan savya rasa
We also had the staff make us some lovely, refreshing paan. By the end of it I didn’t feel like getting up and leaving, it felt like home 🙂

 

Should you be giving this a try? Hell YEAH! The review is proof 🙂

Cheers!

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