Onam Sadhya at Chor Bizarre: 7 dishes we just can’t get over!

Immerse in the spirit of the season and arrive at Chor Bizarre to dig into a limited-time special Onam Sadhya menu.
Chor bizarre
Chor Bizarre, an iconic regional-cuisine restaurant at Bikaner House. Image: Courtesy Chor Bizarre.

Ritzy yet rooted, authentic yet imaginative, and unabashedly Indian — Chor Bizarre is all of this and more. Sitting in the gorgeously restored colonial-era Bikaner House, the iconic restaurant captures the spirit of “Chor Bazaar” or “the thieves’ market” in Old Delhi. All credits to its kaleidoscopic interiors that have been put together with India’s finery, frivolity, and sheer joie de vivre in mind, and the colourful menu that boasts of recipes collected from different parts of the country.

It’s hard not to give into its quirky old-fashioned charm as well as get swooned by the traditional Kashmiri ‘Tarami‘ and ‘Wazwan‘, tandoori platters, a range of chaats, and a large vegetarian repertoire that Chor Bizarre takes pride serving in. Well, it has been one of India’s most celebrated restaurants since 1990 for a reason.

Bikaner house
The interiors of the restaurant has quirky old-world charm! Image: Courtesy Chor Bizarre.

But if you arrive here for a legendary ceremonial feast during Onam, the 10-day harvest festival celebrated in Kerala, you are in for a real (grand) treat! The restaurant is currently serving traditional Onam Sadhya, the scrumptious vegetarian spread of 26 authentic dishes served on a plantain leaf.

Featuring regional favourites like mango pickle, beet pachadi, palm sugar rocks, pearl onion curry, black eye pea and pumpkin curry, mix veg avial, pineapple erissery, sambhar, cabbage thoran , red rice , ada payasam, and more, Onam Sadhya at Chor Bizarre is a feast fit for the kings!

Talking about the limited-time special menu, Senior Sous Chef Srinivas A says, “Usually a ‘Sadhya’ has over 25 banquet dishes. We are serving 20 selected ones to bring the flavours and festivities of Kerala to you here at Chor Bizarre.” Dig into these seven dishes in particular to get a slice of the ‘God’s own country’.

7 Onam Sadhya dishes to try at Chor Bizarre

Onam sadhya at chor bizarre
Onam Sadhya at Chor Bizarre has 20 delicious authentic dishes on offer. Image: Courtesy Chor Bizarre.

Tamarind Relish

Tampered to perfection with red chilli, fenugreek, and aromatic curry leaves, this tangy hot preparation is lip-smacking (quite literally!).

Palm Sugar Rocks

While you’d have had the traditional Malabar salted plantain chips, these sweet variations made with raw banana, cumin, and ginger are an absolute winner.

Beet Pachadi

Beet fans, gather around! This yoghurt-based side dish made with slow-roasted beetroots, coconut, and seasoning can definitely pass as a ‘soul food’.

Okra Yoghurt Curry

Deep-fried okra, dry chilli, aromatic mustard, and creamy yoghurt to add a certain sour kick to it — what’s there to not like?

Pineapple Erissery

It comes off as a surprise at first, but quickly grows on your taste buds. With pineapple and yellow moong beans as its main ingredients, this one is a true wholesome food.

Black Pepper Rasam

Rasam is made with tamarind, tomatoes, lentils, and lots of black pepper. Have it with red rice or simply slurp this South Indian variation of soup up that feels like a warm hug!

Ada Pradaman

The subtle taste of cardamom mixed with flavours of sweet jaggery, rice flakes, and tender coconut milk in this traditional Kerala payasam will win you over.

Old delhi
The restaurant takes inspiration from Old Delhi’s Chor Bazaar. Image: Courtesy Chor Bizarre.

Note: With just a few days left to celebrate Onam, the restaurant is serving the traditional Sadhya feast by September 8, 2022. Book a table at 9910601574 and arrive here between 12pm-3:30pm.

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