Cassia’s Tour Through India is an Unforgettable Journey

The dish team make their way through Cassia’s Tour Through India menu.

In my early twenties, nights spent on Auckland’s Fort Lane usually involved partying upstairs at one of the bars. Little did I know that the real party was going on right underneath my feet at Sid and Chand Sahrawat’s Cassia restaurant.

Neatly tucked within the brick façade that lines Fort Lane, Cassia sinks down into an intimate subterranean space. And even though there’s no dance floor, you could be forgiven for thinking that you’ve wandered into a trendy nightclub – the thumping music bounces around the room, ricocheting off the polished concrete floors and brick walls. Far from being obnoxious, however, Cassia manages to strike the right balance between party and intimacy. A fitting backdrop for the restaurant’s modern Indian fare.

My fellow diners and I sat down to Cassia’s Journey Through India menu, and what a journey it was. Our culinary travels kicked off with a serving of Pani Puri – a very thin dumpling in the shape of a Chinese lantern and filled with potato, chickpea and mint. You don’t want to bite into this dumpling though, at least not at first. Each one is filled with coriander water, which you must drink quickly like a shot. Unlike many of the shots I’ve endured rather than enjoyed in the bars above Cassia, however, the coriander water is refreshing, teasing your tongue with its sweet and zingy flavours. And rather than chase it up with a segment of citrus fruit, you instead enjoy the delicate crunch of the shell and creamy chickpeas that await inside. From the sweet to the savoury, we continued our tour with crispy-coated Te Matuku Oyster Pakoras, Goat Cheese & Corn Fritters and panko-crusted Dry Chicken Curry Croquettes. If there were ever such a thing as pocket curry, this would be it. The diminutive portion serves up big and bold flavours – the same as you would expect from a bowl of your favourite chicken curry – all encased within a crispy veneer.

Like a locomotive slowly gathering speed, more dishes of increasing volume made their way to the table. Next was the Roasted Carrot, Dry Korma and Cashew. It’s amazing how the ordinary can be transformed into the extraordinary with the right condiment. In this case, it was Sid Sahrawat’s own Korma curry sauce, which I note is available for purchase from the Cassia website and in store. The sauce is deliciously thick with almonds and cardamom, and a no-brainer if you want to enhance the flavours of your vegetables as Cassia has so cleverly done. We also enjoyed a serving of Ruakaka Kingfish with Pistachio, Chilli and Coriander. Whether intentionally or not, the Kingfish became secondary to me as my attention was fixed squarely on the sorbet that accompanied it. It is almost like sweet wasabi with a citrusy zing, something I’ve never tasted before but instantly fell in love with.

In a sea of standout dishes, it is very difficult to separate anything from the pack, but Cassia’s house specialty of Goan Lamb Chops with Clevedon Buffalo Curd did just that! I did my best to savour every bite of the tender and juicy meat, each one melting in the mouth, greeting you with the taste of the grill. I would be remiss if I didn’t also mention the rich and creamy Buffalo curd – had I had a spoon, I may have simply scooped it up and eaten it like yoghurt. Joining the lamb chops was the Tandoori Fish, Papaya and Smoked Yoghurt. Cooked very quickly in the tandoor oven at 500 degrees Celsius, the fish is crisp on the outside while sealing in all the flavour inside, achieving a healthy balance between smoky and sweet with the papaya and yoghurt.

After so much build-up, the main event had to be something exceptional, and it didn’t disappoint. Beginning with the Lamb Seekh Rogan Josh, which is cooked in the tandoor, you are hit with an explosion of flavour owing to the tender cooked lamb lathered in the rich and spicy Rogan Josh. I consistently found myself dipping naan bread into the Rogan Josh as though I were conducting a culinary orchestra. I simply couldn’t get enough of it. Next was the Delhi Duck, Makhani Sauce, Lychee and Kumara. The duck was meltingly tender, pulling apart with ease as though it were surrendering itself to my fork. The vegan-friendly Makhani sauce (also available for purchase), which contains cashew nuts and no dairy, still manages to live up to its buttery reputation, adding a velvety smooth texture to the duck and a fleeting hint of spice that encourages you to go back for more. Next up was the Roasted Cauliflower, Almond Korma and Ginger. Once again, for me, the sauce was the hero of the dish, elevating the roasted cauliflower to new heights with its silky smooth and buttery taste, complimented by the crunch of the almonds. To pick a favourite out of this trio of dishes is near impossible, there are so many aspects of each that I thoroughly enjoyed, so I suppose it’s a good thing that I was able to enjoy all three on my plate at once.

For dessert, we sampled the Raspberry, Macadamia and Bay Leaf. The smile this dessert left on our faces said it all; we were enamoured of its caramelised flavours that simply melted in your mouth. Our incredible Tour Through India came to its conclusion with the Salted Baked Pineapple, Chocolate and House-made Pistachio Ice Cream. It was a tug-of-war in the mouth between the warming pineapple and the cool and creamy ice cream, but I have to say that the ice cream ultimately won the battle at the end of the day (a pity you can’t buy it with the sauces). The rich, creamy pistachio provided a delicate sweetness, made all the better by the smooth chocolate coating. If it were a date, this dessert would be considered the kiss goodnight, with the chances of a second date all but guaranteed.

The Tour Through India menu was a truly incredible journey, I was consistently blown away by what was on the plate. And just when you thought it couldn’t get any better, the next dish managed to top the previous one. I am sincere when I say that Cassia is one of the best restaurants I have been to this year. I thoroughly recommend anyone to visit for a fabulous night out.

Located at 5 Fort Lane in Auckland’s CBD, Cassia is open for dinner from Tuesday to Saturday from 5.30pm onwards and open for lunch on Friday from 12pm onwards.

Visit cassiarestaurant.co.nz to reserve your table now.