Ahāra, a contemporary Indian restaurant fine dining Review

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CELEBRATE VALENTINE’S DAY AT AHĀRA WITH A SPECIAL MENU PAIRED WITH ICONIC WINES CURATED WITH PENFOLDS AVAILABLE FOR TWO NIGHTS ONLY (11 and 14 Feb)
Each night, the couple who finds the Golden Nugget hidden in one dessert wins a bottle of wine from Ahāra and Penfolds

Ahāra, a contemporary Indian restaurant, is celebrating its first Valentine’s Day since opening in November 2022 with a special 9-course menu, in collaboration with the renowned winemaker, Penfolds. The menu, which is only available for dinner on the 11th and 14th of February, has been carefully crafted to take guests on a culinary journey through India. The $420++ meal is paired with an excellent selection of wines from Penfolds, including the iconic Grange Shiraz, Thiénot X Penfolds Champagne Rosé, Cellar Reserve Chardonnay 2016, Bin 138 Shiraz Grenache Mataro 2018 and Grandfather Rare Tawny.

The meal begins with the Hay Smoked Oysters with Sol Kadhi, where plump Kumamoto oysters are served in a tangy concoction made from kokum and coconut milk. This dish is a perfect start to the meal, preparing the palate for other delights. One of the highlights is the Bombay Toastie, an ode to one of India’s most beloved comfort foods. The toastie is made from crisp white bread, made in-house, topped with timur pepper-cured Atlantic salmon, Amul cheese, potato, tomato, cucumber and finished with imperial caviar and fresh fennel flowers for a bright lift.

The Valentine’s Day special, the Duck Vadouvan, is a main course that consists of a lightly seared duck leg, prepared with a subtle vadouvan spice blend from Pondicherry in the south of India. The blend, which contains pounded shallots, garlic, cumin seeds, thyme, mustard seeds, and fenugreek amongst other spices, is dried in the sun, crushed, mixed with castor oil, and then dried again for several more days. This dish showcases the influence of French cuisine in India and is a perfect expression of the vadagam, an array of spices and herbs mixed with garlic, onion and castor oil.

The carefully conceptualized dishes are paired with an artful selection of wines from Penfolds, including the much-lauded Penfolds Grange Shiraz, Thiénot X Penfolds Champagne Rosé N.V, Penfolds Cellar Reserve Chardonnay 2016, Penfolds Bin 138 Shiraz Grenache Mataro, 2018 and Penfolds Grandfather Rare Tawny. These wines have been chosen to complement the flavors and aromas of the dishes, elevating the overall dining experience.

The meal ends with a playful surprise, a Golden Nugget in the form of a single coffee bean covered in gold flakes, which will be hidden in one of the desserts. Aptly named “The Rose”, the interactive dish features a cryo-poached rose around the Phirni, a classic sweet and creamy slow-cooked rice pudding perfumed with saffron and cardamom powder. The guest who finds the Golden Nugget will receive a bottle of Penfolds, courtesy of Ahāra and Penfolds.

At Ahāra, it’s not just about the food, it’s the culture, the art, the hospitality, and the little experiences that they create for guests to make their meal one to remember. The elaborate 9-course menu and wine pairing, combined with the unique dining experience, make Ahāra the perfect place to celebrate Valentine’s Day with your loved one.

Ahara X Penfold

Valentine’s Day Menu

Hay Smoked Kumamoto Oysters with Sol Kadhi

Curry leaf, kadampuli pickled onion

Thienot × Penfolds Champagne Rosé, N.V.

Uncooked Wagyu Shaami Tartlet
Pickled shallots, takuan

Bombay Toastie
Timur pepper cured salmon, imperial caviar

Achari Honshu Bafun Uni
Potato stack, pickled bhindi

Penfolds Cellar Reserve Chardonnay, 2018

Ahara’s Bread Course

Chole bhature doughnuts, black tea infused chickpeas, raw pickles

Boston Lobster Aggari
Tamarillo khichdi