Meet Sid and Chand Sahrawat

Hospo superstars Sid and Chand Sahrawat talk us through their newest venture, casual modern Indian restaurant and bar KOL, on Auckland’s Ponsonby Road. 

Tell us a little bit about KOL. What’s the concept behind the restaurant?
We think KOL is our most fun concept, we felt like there was an unexplored element with Indian cuisine that related to food cooked in the tandoor or on the fire. We wanted to offer a modern take on traditional Indian kebabs and grilled dishes. KOL also has a big focus on the drinks list with cocktails curated by our mixologist and bar manager Mangesh Shah. 

How does KOL complement your two other restaurants?
We wanted to add a more casual venue, as Cassia and Sid at The French Café are more smart dining and formal dining respectively. KOL is a place you can pop in for a drink with friends on a lazy Sunday afternoon and grab a bite or stay longer and enjoy more from the menu – it has a ‘just walk in and go with the flow’ vibe that Cassia and Sid at The French Café don’t have.

KOL is also different from Cassia as it has no curries and naan breads. Its focus is on food licked by the fire and innovative cocktails.  

What kind of food and drinks will be on your menu? 
We have small bites like vindaloo fries with aioli, and oyster ghee roast with green garlic butter. Small dishes include pork belly with Goan chorizo and unripe mango, and a broccoli dish grilled on the fire with miso and black cardamom. 

The menu has a few larger dishes perfect for sharing, like our charred kūmara with a rizala sauce, and our dry-aged duck with black garlic and pickles that’s served with some laccha paratha. And of course we have a couple of desserts to finish. 

We have an extensive wine list featuring New Zealand and international listings. The Arils cocktail is proving to be a signature drink; it has vodka, pomegranate, cardamom and cucumber and comes with a smoke bubble that you pop. Another popular cocktail is Aamba, which is our alcoholic take on a mango lassi. It has gin, yoghurt, mango and spices. 

Tell us about the recipe you’ve shared with us
I have always enjoyed a simple chicken kebab done right, it’s so satisfying. We have this dish at KOL, but I have adapted it for the home cook who won’t have access to the tandoor. It’s best enjoyed with a side of naan or roti so you can wrap the kebab in the flatbread and dollop on some raita. Great for our Kiwi summer barbecue season. 

Click here to find the recipe.