Sasarwadi — Restaurant in Navi Mumbai

Kasa Kai Mumbai? Being a Mumbaikar, Maharashtrian cuisine had been an integral part of my food journey. What I love the most about this cuisine are the distinctive attributes. It is more of a perfect combination of mild and spicy notes. The extensive use of peanuts, lentils and veggies, is what makes it simple yet special. My love for this cuisine helped me reach at a newly opened restaurant named Sasarwadi, a restaurant that specializes in Maharashtrian food. The moment you enter through the wooden entrance, you will witness a beautifully setup Maharashtrian styled restaurant. Vibrant colors, mantras written in Marathi, hand painted paintings, bamboo ceiling, and traditional artifacts, make the ambience give you a feel of mini Maharashtra at the same place. The staff will greet you well and help you get seated. Though the seating capacity is not much but the well done decor will make you feel comfortable and at ease. Use of red traditional Maharashtrian saree as a table cloth impressed me a lot. Here is what I had:

✨Drink✨ Solkadhi - There are not many who doesn't know about this appetizing drink. Usually drunk after or along the meal. I have it along the meal and it adds so much value to the overall food. This refreshing drink is made of kokum, chilli garlic paste, salt and coconut milk. Due to the use of kokum it gets that distinctive pink color. What makes it healthy and special are the cooling and digestive agents. This spicy, sour and sweet flavours will surely make you love it.

✨Starters✨ Alu Wadi - Started with this all time favorite snack. A traditional Maharashtrian snack which was served with spicy mint chutney. It was crispy and was equally moist from the center. This snack is made of Taro leaves, popularly known as Patra or Alu. The leaves were perfectly layered with spicy, tangy and sweet chickpea flour paste. Further steamed to the perfection and sliced into thin wadis. What I loved the most was the tempering of mustard seeds and curry leaves which was distributed all across the snack. Kothimbir Wadi - Made of fresh coriander leaves, gram flour and spices. Have with a cup of kadak masala chai and you can't just stop having it. Paired with a medium spicy mint chutney and I am sure you would be totally mesmerized by the flavours. Steamed and shallow fried until golden crisp brown. Masswadi - Another delicious snack was next on the table. A snack made of besan as a main ingredient. Consider it as a gram flour roll which is stuffed with spicy dry masala mix made of peanuts, sesame seeds, spices and so. They are cut into thin slices and steamed until cooked. One of the best masswadi I have had after so long. The masala mix tickled my taste buds like never before.

✨Mains✨ Veg Thali: Tandalachi Bhakri - Perfect soft bhakris made of rice that you can savor with Varan or any spicy veggie. You can further try their Jwarichi Bhakri which is equally good and a healthy option. Fodaniche Varan - An ideal comfort food that is mild in flavours. Fodaniche means tempering and varan denotes dal. So it is basically tadke wali dal which is often paired with rotis/bhakris or rice. Tempered with mustard seeds and curry leaves, this dal is made along with tomatoes, onions and green chillies. Mugachi Usal - A sprouted moong dal veggie which was semi-dry and was served with steamed rice and Bhakri. Made with a blend of Indian aromatic spices in an onion-tomato based gravy. Spicy enough and goes really well with the other dishes.

✨Dessert✨ Seviya Kheer - Indeed a rich dessert made of seviya, condensed milk and dry fruits. It had a very distinct taste and flavours all because of saffron strands. Rich in flavour and perfectly sweetened, do try this sweet sin.

Overall my experience was great. This place is a perfect example of good food with...

As you walk into it you'll be taken aback by how well laid out it is and just how nicely the ambience is done up.

The staff is as you'd expect flawless and on point for everything, a truly great service experience is provided.

Further, to start off the Food, they serve you with Kokam Sarbat which clears your taste buds to enjoy the upcoming meal.

The food is served in brass utensils and makes the entire experience an authentic one.

PAYA SOUPM

MuttonPaya soup has always been one of my favorites as it has all the health benefits and it is indeed a nourishing soup.

SHEVGYACHE SOUP

Had wonderful Pure Veg, Shevgyache soup, it's worth.  It was tasty and healthy option.

SHEVGYACHE Soup, which is low in calories, low in fats and is highly nutritious.

MASWADI

A popular Maharashtrian dish which is mostly prepared in Pune, Marathwada region.

Full of flavours and cooked till perfection.

KOTHIMBIR WADI

Traditional Maharashtrian snack.

Kothimbir Wadi, was good, slightly crisp on the outside and soft on the inside. It was crisp till the last morsel.

CHICKEN BHARLELE VADE

The Vade are filled with juicy mince chicken that are melt in your mouth.

A true delight to have.

MUTTON BHARLELE VADE

Mutton Bharlele Wade was super delicious with melt in the mouth flavours. It was just perfectly cooked and had an amazingly royal taste.

Since we were one vegetarian and non vegetarian each, we ordered the thalis so that we could get more variety.

VEG THALI

Though this place is famous for its Non Veg. food, the Veg. Thali was also very well prepared and had a good spread .

Veg thali comprises of,3-4 sabzi's dry and semi-dry with indian curries ( Mung Usal, Bhendichi Bhaji,Gavar chi Bhaji), bhakri or chapatis, fodnicha Bhat ,Kharwas along with cooler solkadi. It also included two starters including a Bharlele vada.

Mung Usal, Bhendi , Gavar

Bhendi Chi Bhaji; This literally takes you to Malwani home where you get to taste authentic bhendi chi bhaji with homestyle spices.

Mung usal a classic dish , you get typical home made taste. Gavar Bhaji was really nice with less spice.

Solkadhi is a nice summer cooler which was really well prepared and is a must try.

In bread's there were mix of variety ranging from Ghavane to tandalachi bhakri, chapati, jwarachi bhakri, etc

CHICKEN THALI

Through the Chicken thali, you will get their special Gavran Rassa, Chicken Sukha and Chicken Rassa. Enjoy them with pulav rice and the choice of bhakris or chapatti , their special Chicken bharlele wade, Solkadi , and  kharwas.  The chicken sukha is brilliant. Chicken rassa was well cooked and the spices brought out the flavours well .

Love the Solkadhi which is Kokam extract with coconut milk mildly spiced, a great taster after the main course.

Their Chicken thali is simply brilliant . Each and every item on it is amazing.

The preparation of the food was delicious and stood up to the expectations which we had.

Being a Maharashtrian myself, I liked the entire menu. The food, without a doubt, steals the show.

The whole synergy of the food and way the place is done play along wonderfully and make the entire experience...

Having seen the place often, I finally went last night and went early as the reviews largely grumbled about the slow service. Since they prepare everything fresh after receiving the order, one definitely has to be patient and wait till the food is cooked, so no complaints on this front really. The ambience is beautifully done, comfortable and Maharashtrian culture well represented and showcased, plus the staff is polite.

We tried the following dishes: Chicken Saoji - 5/5 Having saoji available in Navi Mumbai is such a treat and let me say that the preparation was authentic and a must have here. Amboli - 5/5 Had actually ordered ghavan but since it wasn't available, the waiter suggested amboli. It really was ideal to have with saoji and tasted really good as it came piping hot. Mutton thali - 3.5/5 One gets 2 mini mince meat pattice, 2 types of thin curries out of which one is super spicy, a semi gravy meat preparation, rice, sol kadi, aamras and choice of chapati, bhakri, we selected rice bhakris to go with the gravy. One also gets a masala papad to go with the thali. Whilst everything was excellent on the taste and spice profile (Ideal for those who love spicy and fiery food) the meat was quite less, undercooked and not enjoyable. The chef needs to pay attention to cooking the mutton properly, plus serve more meat than bones! Seeing their menu of homemade unique flavour ice-creams, we tried Modak & Mango icecreams. The mango is very subtle in flavour but the modak ice cream is just awesome. The owner also gave a sample of jackfruit and black jamun icecreams, yet again jackfruit was superb. I highly recommend all to try their ice-creams!

Overall, Sasarwadi is definitely recommended to those who love authentic Maharashtrian Cuisine and I will...