Recently launched and much talked about ‘SAGA: Cuisines of India’, a modern Indian restaurant, finally opens its doors to the public for a great overall culinary experience. A venture by food & beverage entrepreneur Vishal Anand in partnership with Michelin Star chef Atul Kochhar, standalone restaurant SAGA boasts of one of the tallest bar displays in the world and the cocktails they do does some justice to it. “Our focus on bar is as much as on our food. We wanted to curate a unique experience for our guest and had the advantage of a 56 feet high ceiling which led to conceptualising one of the tallest bar displays in the world,” says Vishal Anand.
This combination, topped with that of ace designer Raghavendra Rathore designing the uniforms for the staff, sets the tone apart for SAGA right at the onset. It is an ambitious project, but I would say that the ambition is well worth it for two major reasons: It’s got class and it’s got taste. The décor is extremely European with high ceilings and gives us a feel of Rome or Brussels, whereas the food is regional Indian with each item handpicked from the states, and the liquor has been sourced from all over the world. The seating areas are on the ground floor, upper-level, and the alfresco section, each of which has been cleverly planned to offer the finest view of the exteriors, the outlet, as well as the band playing at the altar. What was striking for a person in me was the choice of colour—a combination of black and white for the floor and blue and brown for the seating—very unusual and bold. The other thing that attracted me as a person of literature and arts was the attention to detail—whether it was the embroidered napkins, the tasteful cutlery, the movable chandeliers or the storyteller they have on board—each aspect brings out those fine touches of creativity and imagination.
I asked Chef Kochhar about the inspiration for the food at SAGA, to which he replied: “SAGA is a modern Indian fun dining outlet with its deep roots in the Indian food culture and hospitality. Its food is all about the cuisines of India. The recipes are inspired from different regions and flavours that have crossed the boundaries of the country and made their space in a more global space. We also take inspiration from what is happening around us and reflect the same emotion through our food. At SAGA, we believe that food is a journey that one takes and we would like to be a part of that journey with you. SAGA also represents the stories that gravitate around the food, which helped the dishes to make their emotional connection with people around the world.”
My picks for the food are the Dal Moradabadi, the dry fruit stuffed naan, the Parsi Salli Boti, the Kerala Meen Ularthiyathu (King fish masala) and the Mangalorean Ghee Roast Prawns. Even though I am not a dessert person, I was pleasantly surprised to have the Bengali Brûlée, which I think they have nailed in terms of the ingredients, taste and presentation. For a place that boasts about having one of the world’s tallest bars, the drinks menu has to be “tall”. Taking off from the cuisines of India, the beverage menu is massive and truly global. From the choicest single malts to champagnes to wines classified by countries, the alcohol menu is vast and impressive, but also affordable. However, their signature cocktail range is inspired from the regions of India, my picks being the Maharaja Sour with whiskey as the base, Mysore Mahal (gin and gooseberry) and Nishat Bagh (aged rum and raspberry liqueur).
Vishal Anand is a self-confessed music buff, which can be seen in the state-of-the-art equipment with installations of speakers and woofers at different levels in SAGA. The well-placed JBL concert speakers—the first-of-its-kind for any restaurant—are what sets the place apart. Even though the time of opening may have been slightly risky, they team has put in a lot of thought and taken the pains to go that extra mile to ensure that SAGA is here for the long run and it is all set to become one of the better-known places in the city for a great dining experience.